Votes at a glance: Agriculture Committee passes package of bills with amendments

At the March 20, 2026 meeting, the House Committee on Agriculture and Food Systems passed a slate of amended measures out of committee during a recessed decision session. The chair read recommendations and the committee adopted amendments and passed each measure by voice vote. Below are the measures, the committee action and notable amendments or clarifications made on the floor.

SB2319 SD1 (Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity) — The committee passed SB2319 with amendments to pass out House Draft 1 and to redirect its effective date; the measure creates/permits converting one grant‑writer FTE within DAB to permanent status. Multiple industry groups testified in support. Committee vote: chair and vice chair recorded voting 'I'; several members verbally registered 'I'; Representative Quinnland was excused during the vote.

SB2407 SD2 (Agricultural land / Hawaii Island Property Manager) — Committee passed out House Draft 1 but removed the appropriation for cold storage units pending further information. The position will be established but the funding was deferred; bill goes to Finance for further consideration.

SB2489 SD1 (Invasive species and lease authority) — Committee passed the bill with amendments codifying DAB authority in lease language to address invasive species concerns; DLNR and CGAPS testified in support while some producers raised concerns about penalties for leaseholders.

SB2153 SD2 (Definitions of bonafide farmer) — Committee amended the measure to create a qualified farmer working group in session law rather than inserting statutory definitions immediately; reporting to the legislature and a 2028 sunset on the group were added.

SB2321 SD1 (Two‑line spittlebug response pilot) — Committee passed the bill with an amendment to set the pilot end date to June 30, 2028 and directed reporting to the legislature.

SB2805 SD2 (Nonrefundable tax credit for long‑maturing crops) — Committee passed the bill with tax department suggested amendments and a sunset date included in the measure (sunset Jan. 1, 2031 as in the bill text).

SB3010 SD2 (Animal endangerment / rescue from unattended vehicles) — Committee passed the measure out of committee; support testimony was filed though no one testified in person.

SB2892 SD1 (Feral chicken handling funding) — Committee passed clarifying language that funds are for receipt, handling and humane disposition of feral chickens already captured.

SB2595 SD1 (ADC payments / fair market value) — Committee amended the language from "market rate" to be consistent with HRS section 141D‑11 and used the phrase "fair market value"; bill passed out of committee.

SB2781 SD1 (Floriculture / lei working group and labeling) — Committee reverted to original intent and inserted language similar to House Bill 2194 HD2 to set labeling standards and procurement benchmarks; the committee adopted amendments and passed the bill out of committee.

All measures listed above passed out of committee by voice vote; the chair and vice chair recorded affirmative votes and multiple representatives verbally registered "I." Representative Quinnland was recorded as excused for at least one vote. Each bill will proceed according to the committee routing established during the decision session.