Votes at a glance: Jan. 30 House Agriculture & Food Systems committee

On Jan. 30 the House Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems completed decision making on multiple bills. Key outcomes:

- HB1601 (biosecurity/HISC funding): Passed out as House Draft 1 with amendments; recorded ayes included the chair, vice chair and Representatives Kahalu, Lowen, Peruso, Quinlan and Matsumoto. The committee changed the effective‑date placeholder to allow further technical work.

- HB1828 (agricultural lands): Deferred to Feb. 4 for further refinement of statutory language, enforcement roles and data on acreage thresholds.

- HB1616 (agriculture program clarifications): Passed out as House Draft 1 with amendments; chair recorded no objections.

- HB1603 (agricultural park leases): Passed out as House Draft 1 with amendments; committee requested additional data on the number of leases affected and noted Farm Bureau requests on acreage thresholds.

- HB1606 (transfer of agricultural development and aquaculture functions): Passed out as House Draft 1 with technical amendments; Representative Peruso recorded a 'no' vote and Representative Matsumoto recorded 'with reservations' on the roll call.

- HB1604 (agricultural workforce housing) and HB1605 (human and community resilience): Both passed out as House Draft 1 with technical amendments; the committee will include appropriation details and technical edits in the committee report.

The committee adjourned after the votes; members asked for follow‑up data and technical drafting to be provided before the next action date.