Bill Text: HI HB1310 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Agricultural Sustainability.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-23 - Introduced and Pass First Reading. [HB1310 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2025-HB1310-Introduced.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1310 |
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THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to agricultural sustainability.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii has a long and rich history of agricultural production, not only to feed residents but also for commercial and entrepreneurial endeavors. The history of agriculture in Hawaii reveals the State's natural ability to grow, process, and distribute food. However, the growth, peaking, and waning of agriculture in the State over the last seventy-five years is an unfortunate cycle of decline of an industry well-suited to Hawaii.
The legislature further finds that planting new high- and medium-value crops to supplement existing production, as well as deploying innovative, proven, and modern methods of farming, will boost the ability of the State to feed and sustain its population. Additionally, increasing food production and availability of farm jobs and creating a cadre of agri-technical workers will help to diversify the economy of the State beyond tourism and military-related industries.
The legislature also finds that the Philippines has built an infrastructure of farmlands, animal husbandry, cooperatives, wet and dry markets, agri-industrial processing, food terminals, farm-to-market roads, and other support systems. Additionally, there are dozens of agricultural science colleges and universities in the Philippines, including agricultural science vocational schools, apprenticeships, journeyman trades, and practical field experience in sustenance farming and fishing.
Annually, Hawaii accepts over three thousand immigrants from the Philippines via regular immigration procedures. Many, if not all, already hold or are qualified for work permits without any other visa requirements under federal law. Because many of these new immigrants are farmers, fisherfolk, and agri-tech workers, they must be identified upon coming to Hawaii so they can be offered work in a familiar industry in which they excel.
The purpose of this Act is to plan, organize, develop, and maintain agricultural programs to ensure that the State can grow its agriculture industry and become more sustainable in its food security efforts.
SECTION 2. (a) The office of the governor shall inquire and coordinate with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and the United States Embassy in the Philippines, by way of the Hawaii congressional delegation, as appropriate, to provide a profile of Filipino immigrants approved for entry into the State who have come to Hawaii within the last five years and will prospectively enter the State in the next five years. The profile shall contain information related to demographics, profession, education, vocation, and present occupation.
(b) The department of education shall gather and provide the office of the governor with information regarding the educational attainment, occupational interest, and post-secondary school field of work of any of the individuals identified pursuant to subsection (a) who graduate from a department of education school.
(c) The office of the governor shall submit a
report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation,
to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the
regular session of 2026.
SECTION 3. (a) The department of agriculture shall establish lines of communication with the Philippines Department of Agriculture; selected agricultural science colleges and universities in the Philippines; and major agricultural cooperatives in the Philippines, such as those in tomato farming, rice production, and food terminal management, to facilitate information exchange, technology exchange, and possible academic, student, and worker exchange programs between Hawaii and the Philippines.
(b) The department of agriculture shall inform, coordinate with, and share resources with the Hawaii Farm Bureau and similar organizations in the State to unite public and private sector interests in expanding and moving forward the agricultural development and agricultural sustainability in the State.
SECTION 4. (a) The departments of labor and industrial relations and human resources development shall develop a program that brings in agricultural workers from the Philippines for short-, medium-, and long-term work in Hawaii.
(b) In developing the program, the departments of labor and industrial relations and human resources development shall consider the interests of the public and private sector labor unions, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and related organizations in blending new immigrant workers with the local worker market in the agricultural sector in the State.
SECTION 5. (a) The department of agriculture shall establish a hydroponics pilot program on the west side of Hawaii island. The hydroponics facility shall be located where there are sufficient underground minerals and nutrients suitable for hydroponics and drip irrigation farming.
(b) In establishing the pilot program, the department of agriculture shall study similar hydroponic projects in the Philippines and Israel where companies have collaborated in hydroponics, drip irrigation, and controlled farming methods using established technology, management, and financing models.
(c) The department of agriculture shall submit a
report of its findings and recommendations to the legislature no later than
twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026. The report shall include measures necessary
to expand small, medium, and large hydroponics and drip irrigation projects in
the State.
SECTION 6. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the purposes of section 2 of this Act.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the office of the governor for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 7. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the purposes of sections 3 and 5 of this Act.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 8. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the purposes of section 4 of this Act.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of labor and industrial relations for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 9. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the purposes of section 4 of this Act.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human resources development for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 10. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Agriculture; Sustainability; Philippines; Office of the Governor; Department of Agriculture; Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Department of Human Resources Development; Exchange; Hydroponics Pilot Program; Appropriation
Description:
Requires and appropriates funds for the Office of the Governor to provide profiles of Filipino immigrants related to demographic, education, and vocation data. Requires and appropriates funds for the Department of Agriculture to collaborate with certain agricultural entities in the Philippines. Requires and appropriates funds for the Departments of Labor and Industrial Relations and Human Resources Development to develop a program that brings agricultural workers from the Philippines to Hawaii, under certain conditions. Requires and appropriates funds for the Department of Agriculture to establish a hydroponics pilot program.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
