2023 Legislative Update
Mahalo to everyone taking action this legislative session.
This is when bills crossover from the chambers (House or Senate) they originated into the other chamber. HAPA has been tracking and mobilizing testimony for 45 bills good food system bills that comprehensively bring us closer to achieving a fair, secure, sustainable, and affordable food system. HAPA was leading 11 bills, primarily that would have brought stronger reporting and regulations of pesticides.
23 / 45 bills for a good food system are progressing, and
Unfortunately, many of our bills effectively “died” when they were not scheduled for a hearing. We are deeply disappointed that lawmakers did not prioritize urgently needed, common sense public health protections–
2019 reporting showed that over 215K pounds of restricted use pesticides (RUPʻs) applied to Central Oʻahu and the North Shore in the year alone. Read more here.
The proposed public health and environmental protection measures would have:
HB253/SB1011- Improved Pesticide (RUP) Reporting - Deferred
These bills require better reporting that is needed to allow us to conduct credible public health studies. Our current reporting requirements are not geographically specific enough to conduct credible public health studies.
HB252/SB1010 - Classify Malathion as RUP - Deferred
These bills amend the definition of "restricted use pesticide" to include malathion after a major malathion spill on the North Shore of Oʻahu. Reclassifying malathion as a RUP would have created additional public health protections and required reporting on its usage.
HB254/SB1524 - Increasing Pesticide (RUP) Bufferzones - Deferred
Would have expanded buffer zones to protect children from pesticide drift when they are at school and recreating in our parks, based on scientific research on pesticide drift distances.
HB251/SB1009 - Classify “Neonics” as a RUP - Deferred
These two bills would have reclassified the most commonly used insecticides, “neonics,” as restricted-use pesticides as the body of research mounts on their dangerous impacts to pollinators, aquatic species, and human health. This reclassification would have required users to report on their usage, giving us a better understanding of the volume and potential impacts in Hawaiʻi.
HB255 - Agribusiness Development Corp. Reform - Deferred
It would have increased mandates for sustainable land management practices, land access for small farmers, and increased board composition to include farmers engaged in sustainable or organic practices.
HB876 - Pollinator Habitat - Deferred
Would have required the University of Hawaiʻi to develop native pollinator habitats to be deployed on all campuses in the University system. Funding for the UH system to create pollinator habitats with native plants.
The only pesticide regulation bill that is currently progressing:
HB692 - Increase Pesticide Violation Fines
Increases fines for pesticide regulation violators; eliminates initially written warning penalty; requires an annual report of pesticide inspections and compliance investigations by the Department of Agriculture (DOA).
Broader Food Systems bills that are currently progressing:
Support for Regenerative Farming Practices
HB443 HD1 / SB660 SD1 - Healthy Soils
Incentivizes carbon sequestration practices in agriculture by establishing the Hawaii farmland and forest soil health carbon smart incentive program (to administer incentives contracts that provide for compensation for eligible practices by program participants). Appropriates funds for positions and administering the program.
HB608 - Organic Food Producer Tax Credit
Establishes an organic foods production tax credit for farmers investing in the organic certification process.
Support for Indigenous Foodways
HB311 - Kalo Farming Operations; General Excise Tax Exemption
Establishes a GET exemption for the gross proceeds from selling machinery, fuel, chemicals, seed, huli, animals, or feed to a qualified farmer and directly related to the qualified farmer's kalo farming operations.
HB284 - Kalo GE Tax Exemption
Establishes a GET exemption for the gross proceeds from selling machinery, fuel, chemicals, seed, huli, animals, or feed to a qualified farmer and directly related to the qualified farmer's kalo farming operations.
SB735 - Kalo Farming Water Access
Exempts the instream use of water for commercial kalo cultivation conducted in a manner consistent with traditional and customary practices of Native Hawaiians from the existing process for the disposition of water rights.
HB275 / SB782 - Kalo Farming Grants
Appropriates funds to the department of agriculture to provide grants to Hawaiʻi farming groups to be disbursed to taro farmers.
SB730 - Funding for Fishpond / Loko ʻIa Restoration
Appropriates funds to support the Department of Land and Natural Resources in restoring and restocking fishponds.
Good Food for Change & Support for Farmers / Food Producers
HB308 / SB420 - Sustainable Food Systems
Establishes the sustainable food systems working group within the department of agriculture. Requires the working group to submit a plan, any recommendations for implementing the plan, and any proposed legislation to the legislature.
HB1248 - Funding for DA BUX
Appropriate funds to DOA for the continued administration of the Hawaiʻi healthy food incentive program and to provide matching funds to beneficiaries participating in the supplemental nutrition assistance program. Secures $3M in funding for the state Double Up Bucks Program so that SNAP purchasing power can be doubled when purchasing locally sourced produce and proteins.
HB612 - Food Producer Tax Credit
Creates an income tax credit to alleviate the high costs of production for farmers, ranchers, and fishers and incentivizes growth in the agricultural sector in the State.
HB947 - Food Manufacturer Tax Credit; Local Crops
Establishes a food manufacturer tax credit. Defines "qualified taxpayers" as manufacturers producing value-added products using local crops.
HB1384 - Food Manufacturer Tax Credit
Creates an income tax credit to incentivize the food manufacturing industry in the State.
HB607 - Food Producers & Food Hubs Inter-island Shipping Tax Credit
Creates an income tax credit for taxpayers who are farmers or are producers of agricultural commodities, cooperatives, broad-line distributors, or food hubs who ship products and agricultural goods between counties.
SB746 - Fair Coffee Labeling
Expands coffee labeling and advertising requirements to include ready-to-drink coffee beverages, inner packages, and inner wrapping labels. Requires disclosure on the label of coffee blends of the respective geographic and regional origins and per cent by weight of the blended coffees.Prohibits use of the term "All Hawaiian" in labeling or advertising for roasted coffee or instant coffee not produced entirely from green coffee beans grown and processed in Hawaiʻi.
SB756 - Cottage Food Bill
Establishes the Access to Local Food Act to allow cottage food operations to sell cottage food products, under certain conditions, upon receiving a permit from the Department of Health.
Good Food Procurement - Farm to School / State
HB 247 - Farm to School/State Benchmarks
Amends benchmarks from 176 (2021) for departments covered by HRS§27-8 based on 30% by 2030 goal set for HIDOE in HRS §302A-405.6; amends reporting requirements for departments covered by HRS§27-8: Increases the percentages of local agricultural products that certain departments are required to purchase by certain deadlines. Expands annual reporting requirements to include the total spending by certain market channels. Should it not meet its benchmark, it requires each relevant state department and the UH system to include a corrective action plan in its respective report to the legislature.
HB248 - Farm-to-School Restructuring
Requires the Department of Education to fully implement the farm-to-school and farm-to-school meals programs by the 2024-2025 school year. Provides that complex area superintendents have the authority to implement the farm-to-school and farm-to-school meals programs.
HB249 - Farm-to-School Funding
Moves HCNP to the DAGS office; Establishes the Hawaii child nutrition programs agency in the office of the auditor. Establishes a grant program to support funding certain initiatives for the State's public schools.
HB250 - Farm-to-School Procurement
Requires the department of education to establish rules for the procurement of goods and services related to the administration of food programs at public schools that incorporate a geographic preference for unprocessed locally grown and locally raised food products.
Bad Bills Still Moving
OPPOSE - SB92 - Time Limits on Subsistence Fishing Arenas
Establishes a time limitation for community-based subsistence fishing area designations; provided that the Department of Land and Natural Resources may consider extending a designation in the year prior to the designation's expiration unless the designation is made through statute before its expiration.
OPPOSE - SB71 - Well Exemption for DOA
Exempts the proposed drilling, construction, or use of a well and well appurtenances on lands leased from the Department of Agriculture from the requirements of the environmental impact statements law, provided that the land is being used to support agriculture and food production.
