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 7/1/3000. (HD2)
Bill status
passed both
4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
May 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
House Passage
Apr 2026
Governor
Introduced Jan 20, 2026
Last action May 1, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons
What changed between versions
SB2405_HD2
→
SB2405_SD1
·
7 edits
MODERATE
This bill was transitioned from a House draft (HD2) to a Senate draft (SD1), resulting in significant structural and substantive changes. The most critical policy shift is the removal of several specific members from the new agricultural workforce housing working group, including the land use commission chair, Hawaiian affairs board chair, and county mayors, while retaining the agriculture director. Additionally, the bill's effective date was moved from the distant future of July 1, 3000, to July 1, 2050, and a new provision was added to protect working group members from legal liability.
Scope change
The scope of the working group was narrowed by removing specific government and local officials from its membership list, shifting the composition to include only the agriculture director, housing finance director, and agribusiness development chairperson.
REQUIREMENT
Removed the requirement for the chairperson of the land use commission to serve as a co-chair of the working group.
Removed the requirement for the chairperson of the board of trustees of the office of Hawaiian affairs to serve as a member of the working group.
Removed the requirement for mayors of each county to serve as members of the working group.
Replaced the requirement for the director of the office of planning and sustainable development with a request for the department of agriculture and biosecurity to provide administrative support.
Added a provision stating that no working group member shall be subject to legal liability solely for their participation in the group.
Reorganized the list of working group duties, renumbering items and removing specific tasks related to assessing zoning revisions for innovative housing models like modular or container homes.
TIMELINE
Changed the bill's effective date 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
41
Key actions
17
Committee
19
Amendments
1
May 1, 2026
Upper · Passed
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 5:00 PM; Conference Room 411.
upper
May 1, 2026
Upper · Passed
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 12:45 PM; Conference Room 325.
upper
Apr 30, 2026
Upper · Passed
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 05-01-26 9:15AM; Conference Room 325.
upper
Apr 29, 2026
Upper · Passed
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-30-26 9:30AM; Conference Room 325.
upper
Apr 28, 2026
Upper · Passed
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-29-26 9:30AM; Conference Room 325.
upper
Apr 27, 2026
Upper · Passed
Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-28-26 9:35AM; Conference Room 325.
upper
Apr 22, 2026
Committee
Re-referred to AGR, HSG, WAL, FIN, referral sheet 32
lower
Apr 10, 2026
Amended
Senate disagrees with House amendments.
upper
Apr 10, 2026
Introduced
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 509).
upper
Apr 9, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
lower
Apr 7, 2026
Lower · Passed
The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Morikawa, Belatti, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Poepoe, Souza; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Woodson.
lower
Mar 30, 2026
Lower · Passed
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on WAL as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Garcia voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).
lower
Mar 30, 2026
Committee
Reported from HSG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1514-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to WAL.
lower
Mar 25, 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, Grandinetti, Kila, Kitagawa, La Chica, Muraoka; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Cochran; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Pierick; and Excused: none.
lower
Mar 20, 2026
Committee
Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1253-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to HSG.
lower
Mar 18, 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
Mar 12, 2026
Committee
Referred to AGR, HSG, WAL, referral sheet 17
lower
Mar 10, 2026
Introduced
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 232) in amended form (SD 1).
lower
Mar 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
upper
Mar 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.
upper
Feb 27, 2026
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 03-03-26 10:17AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
upper
Feb 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
upper
Feb 11, 2026
Committee
Reported from AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2186) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
upper
Feb 4, 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
Jan 30, 2026
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-04-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
upper
Jan 28, 2026
Committee
Referred to AEN, WAM.
upper
Jan 21, 2026
Introduced
Introduced and passed First Reading.
upper
Jan 20, 2026
Introduced
Pending Introduction.
upper
6 primary · 2 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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