HB 1604 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE HOUSING.

Summary

Establishes an Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to address the shortage and challenges of agricultural workforce housing in the State. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Governor

Introduced Jan 16, 2026 Last action Mar 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB1604_HD2 → HB1604_SD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This version of the bill expands the Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group by adding a representative from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. It also broadens the group's duties to include studying innovative housing models like modular, tiny, and container homes, and adds specific tasks to streamline permitting and examine partnerships. The effective date of the law was moved forward from the year 3000 to 2050.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include new housing types and a new agency representative, and the timeline for implementation was significantly accelerated.

SCOPE

Added a new requirement for the working group to include a representative from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

REQUIREMENT

Added a duty to consider innovative housing models, specifically modular homes, tiny homes, and container homes.

Added a specific task to examine opportunities for streamlining permitting and zoning processes.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the Act from July 1, 3000, to July 1, 2050.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

Reported from AEN/HOU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3218) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Mar 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in AEN were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, Richards, DeCoite, Rhoads, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HOU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HOU were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Chang, Rhoads, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Hashimoto, Elefante.

upper

Mar 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on AEN/HOU has scheduled a public hearing on 03-18-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to AEN/HOU, WAM.

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 141).

upper

Mar 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Perruso, Sayama excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Mar 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Feb 19, 2026

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and none excused (0).

lower

Feb 19, 2026

Committee

Reported from HSG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 571-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on HSG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Evslin, Miyake, Cochran, Grandinetti, Kila, Kitagawa, La Chica, Muraoka; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Pierick.

lower

Feb 4, 2026

Committee

Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 7-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to HSG.

lower

Jan 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Chun, Kusch, Kahaloa, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Committee

Referred to AGR, HSG, FIN, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 16, 2026

Introduced

Prefiled.

lower

6 primary · 1 co-sponsor