Committee advances pesticide‑reporting bill after public‑health and community testimony

The joint committees advanced Senate Bill 2100 SD2 on March 25, a measure that would require quarterly reporting of restricted‑use pesticides and create an online reporting tool with geospatial detail to improve oversight and public access.

Supporters from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and public‑health organizations told the committee that more timely, location‑specific data is essential for communities living near heavy agricultural pesticide use. "Better reporting improves oversight and gives public agencies, researchers, and nearby residents more useful information about where pesticides are applied," McKenna Woodward of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs said in testimony, urging passage for transparency and protection of cultural and subsistence practices.

Chris Caulfield of the Hawaii Public Health Institute described health concerns tied to pesticide exposure, saying more accurate data would let health agencies identify exposure patterns and respond more quickly. "Reporting is one of the most important tools that we have for prevention and accountability," Caulfield told lawmakers, citing studies that link prenatal and long‑term exposures to cognitive and respiratory harms.

Environmental and community groups, including the Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, pressed for quarterly, square‑mile‑level reporting to allow credible public‑health assessments. Annie Frederick of HAPA said the change would address long delays and mapping errors in existing records and noted that an online reporting form with dropdowns could reduce user error and staff time.

The Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity acknowledged current limitations in the reporting system and said most applicators comply but that staff capacity is strained. An agency official told the committee roughly 10% of applicators submit late or incomplete reports and that a small number of case reviewers currently handle follow‑up work. The official said previous attempts in 2020–21 to develop an online system were not completed and that setting up a new tool would start from scratch.

Lawmakers prioritized establishing a usable online reporting platform and indicated the committee would remove or defer some provisions, tightening the appropriation language and directing the department to develop the electronic system. The committee passed the measure with amendments in the decision‑making session; chairs noted the priority is to ensure the reporting tool is accessible and produces timely data for communities.

The bill will proceed with the committee’s amendments and further technical work on implementation and funding.