HB 498 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL CRIMES.

Summary

Establishes the Hawaii Agricultural Crimes Council. Expands the duties of the Department of Agriculture to collaborate with and support the Council. Establishes the Agricultural Enforcement Special Fund. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB498_HD1 → HB498_HD2 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill establishes a new Hawaii Agricultural Crimes Council to combat theft and vandalism in the agricultural sector, which currently suffers from low prosecution rates due to resource limitations. The legislation creates a dedicated special fund and appropriates money to hire an executive director and staff to run the council. It also grants investigators specific powers to enforce laws related to agricultural crimes without carrying firearms.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of enforcement by creating a new state-level council with its own investigators who have expanded authority to enforce various state laws and county ordinances within the state, not just specific agricultural titles.

ENFORCEMENT

Created a new Hawaii Agricultural Crimes Council with a defined composition including the Attorney General, prosecuting attorneys, and law enforcement directors.

Authorized the appointment of investigators who can enforce Title 11 (fish and game) and other state laws, issue citations, and work with counties to prevent agricultural crime.

FISCAL

Established a new 'Agricultural Enforcement Special Fund' to collect grants, penalties, and fees specifically for agricultural crime enforcement.

Appropriated general revenue funds for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to pay for the council's executive director, staff assistant, and deputy inspector positions.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the requirement for the council to meet 'not less than' times annually to 'no less than' times annually, clarifying the minimum meeting frequency.

TECHNICAL

Updated internal document metadata, including the bill version number (HD1 to HD2), author name, and various tracking numbers.

Floor votes

How they voted

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

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).

lower

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 720) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Hashem.

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Committee

Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 82) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Jan 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Kusch, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to AGR, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 2

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.