SB 2718 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE FOOD HUB PILOT PROGRAM.

SB 2718 allocates funding to the Food Hub Pilot Program, which supports local food distribution networks connecting farmers to consumers. The bill directly affects food hubs - community-based centers that aggregate and distribute locally grown food - and the communities they serve. It establishes a temporary program (effective July 1, 2050) funded through state appropriations, with no specific eligibility rules detailed in the abstract. This is a funding measure, not a policy change to existing laws.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Feb 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2026 Last action Feb 20, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB2718 → SB2718_SD1 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill was significantly rewritten to shift from a complex procurement mandate requiring state agencies to buy 30% local food by 2028 to a simplified funding measure. The original version imposed strict purchasing quotas on multiple state departments and established a detailed five-year pilot program with specific reporting requirements, which were entirely removed. The new version focuses solely on appropriating funds for the existing Food Hub Pilot Program and delaying its effective date to July 1, 2050.

Scope change

The bill's scope narrowed from a comprehensive regulatory framework governing food procurement and program administration to a simple appropriations bill that only authorizes funding.

REQUIREMENT

Eliminated all mandatory procurement quotas requiring state agencies to purchase 30% of their food from local sources by 2028.

Deleted provisions requiring the Department of Agriculture to develop nutrition curricula and partner with aggregators for Native Hawaiian crops.

TIMELINE

Removed the requirement for the Department of Agriculture to submit a progress report to the legislature by 2027.

Extended the effective date of the Act from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2050.

FISCAL

Changed the appropriation from a fixed $5,000,000 to an unspecified amount, leaving the budget blank for legislative approval.

SCOPE

Reduced the bill's scope from a multi-section regulatory act to a single section focused exclusively on funding.

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

Feb 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from AEN/GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2680) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 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: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, Richards, DeCoite, Rhoads; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Awa.

upper

Feb 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in GVO were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) McKelvey, Gabbard, Hashimoto; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Moriwaki, Awa.

upper

Feb 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on AEN/GVO has scheduled a public hearing on 02-18-26 3:02PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Committee

Referred to AEN/GVO, WAM.

upper

Jan 23, 2026

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

5 primary · 1 co-sponsor