2025 Fair & Sustainable Food Systems Policy Agenda Conference Committee Update
2025 Fair & Sustainable Food Systems Policy Agenda
Conference Committee Update: as of 4/8/25
What is Conference Committee?
April 4th was the “second decking” deadline for bills to pass out of their final committee. Bills where there is disagreement between the chambers will move to “conference committee”. House and Senate “conferees” convene the weeks of April 14th and April 21st to resolve their differences and settle upon a final version of bills in conference committee hearings. Often bills “die in conference” when the House and Senate cannot resolve differences and agree upon a final version of the bill.
We have an update for you below on all of the bills in our Fair & Sustainable Food Systems agenda that have passed out of their final committee. Stay tuned for alerts and updates!
About HAPA’s FSFS Policy Agenda
Our current food system is broken by design, supporting increasingly consolidated corporate profits at the expense of public and environmental health, climate and workers. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Transforming our local food system can address some of the most intractable problems facing our local communities. Because our food system is so broad, touching upon every facet of our lives, there is no one silver bullet solution. HAPA supports a broad food and agriculture policy agenda that seeks to uplift a variety of complimentary solutions along our food system.
Our FSFS Priority Areas:
Food Equity
HAPA support for food security programs to address rising hunger rates in Hawaii. The ending of certain federal and local benefits coupled with increasing cost of living has led to increased local food insecurity. Increasing funding for local food security along with other measures to boost procurement of locally grown food can support local food producers and food insecure residents as well.
Policy Leads: HIPHI, Appleseed, Hawaii Hunger Action Network, Hawaii Food Bank
Farm to Families - HB428 | SB1250
Establishes the Hawaiʻi Farm to Families Program to alleviate food shortages in the State. Requires reports to the Legislature prior to the Regular Sessions of 2026 and 2027. Appropriates funds.
Crossover Update (3/6):
Conference Update (4/8):
HB428: Passed out of Senate; Conference Committee Pending
SB1250: Passed out of AGR; No hearing FIN/Deferred
Universal Free School Meals - HB757 | SB43
Hunger should never be a barrier to learning, yet many food insecure students are missing meals and cannot thrive in the classroom. Universal free school meals will provide breakfast and lunch to all public school students and will help to improve health and learning outcomes.
Conference Update (4/8):
SB1300: Passed out of the House; Conference Committee Pending
HB757: Passed EDN; No hearing in FIN/Deferred
SB43: No hearing in Senate/Deferred
ACTION ALERT: The Free School Meals for All Keiki working group has identified 15 days of action you can take to encourage lawmakers to support free school meals for keiki! On Apr 22, 2025 from 10am-12pm the coalition is inviting the public to join in a day of advocacy at the Capitol, sign up here!
Addressing the SNAP Eligibility Cliff - SB1055, HB696
Extends certification periods for most households, including 36 months for kūpuna. Provides funds to DHS to increase number of positions and pay
Crossover Update (3/6):
HB696: No hearing in House/Deferred
SB1055: No hearing in Senate/Deferred
Addressing the SNAP Eligibility Cliff - SB963 | HB687
Increase benefits or access for many different groups. They would exclude income from those individuals in SNAP households who are ineligible for benefits, establish a standard medical deduction, establish a pre-release program, remove the felony ban, and require a report to the legislature on progress.
Crossover Update (3/6):
SB963: Passed in Senate HHS; No hearing WAM/Deferred
HB687: No hearing in House/Deferred
Addressing the SNAP Eligibility Cliff - SB53, HB539
Expand SNAP benefits to households earning up to 300% of the Federal Poverty Level
Crossover Update (3/6):
SB53: HHS Deferred
HB539: No hearing in House/Deferred
Funding for SNAP - SB 960
Provides funds to DHS to increase SNAP staffing and pay levels
Conference Update (4/8):
Conference committee pending
Improves SNAP Accessibility - SB 961
Extends SNAP certification periods and participates in Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP)
Crossover Update (3/6):
SB961: Passed out of HSH; No hearing in FIN/Deferred
Pesticide Protections
Improved disclosure of restricted use pesticides (RUP’s) - SB351
Hawaiʻi needs more geographically specific reporting of pesticide use to accurately assess current risk, as well as quarterly rather than annual reporting of all use of restricted use pesticides. California requires reporting within a square mile of application. This level of specificity will allow for credible public health/epidemiological studies to be conducted.
Crossover Update (3/6):
SB351: Passed AEN; No hearing in CPN/WAM/Deferred
Increased RUP buffer zones - SB352, HB873
Epidemiological studies have revealed that exposure to certain pesticides drifting from over ½ mile can harm human health, with children being amongst the most vulnerable. Certain pesticides are more prone to drift to others. Reporting data has revealed some of the highest rates of application of highly drift prone and carcinogenic pesticides adjacent to residential areas in Hawaiʻi. Increased buffer zones around schools and other sensitive areas provide
common sense public health protections for keiki.
Second Lateral Update (3/21):
SB352: Crossed over the House; No hearing in AGR, Deferred
HB873: No hearing in House/Deferred
Reclassify Neonics as RUP’s - SB12
Neonicotinoids (“neonics”) are reported to be the largest class of insecticides used globally and are linked to pollinator declines. Vital for a healthy food system, 1 in 3 bites of food is attributed to pollinators. Increasingly a body of research is also finding harmful human health impacts. Because they are not classified as “restricted use pesticides” (RUP) in Hawaiʻi, we have no data on the extent of their use locally or ability to study the potential impacts.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
SB12: Deferred in AEN
Pesticide Restrictions on State Land - SB671
Harmful pesticides like glyphosate, chlorpyrifos, dicamba, and malathion are dangerous carcinogens, that should be strictly curtailed on state property, including parks, recreational facilities, schools, roadways, correctional institutions, office buildings, and other places or facilities owned or controlled by the State. Restrictions on the use of these harmful pesticides in these areas provide common sense public health protections for keiki
Crossover Update (3/6):
SB671: No hearing in Senate/Deferred
Funding for Online RUP Reporting - HB1497
Requires and appropriates funds for the Department of Agriculture to develop an online reporting tool for restricted use pesticide reporting. Appropriates funds to convert temporary environmental health specialist III positions into permanent positions
Second Decking Update (4/4):
HB1497: Passed out of AEN; No hearing in WAM; Deferred
Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge
Policy Lead(s): Kuaʻāina ʻUlu ʻAuamo (KUA)
Fishpond Inventory - HB309
Establishes a fishpond inventory working group within the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program to create an inventory and map of all state-owned fishponds and conduct a literature review.
Conference Update (4/8):
Conference committee pending
Makai Watch Coordinator - HB86
Appropriates funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the establishment of one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent Makai Watch Coordinator position.
Conference Update (4/8):
Conference committee pending
ʻŌpaeʻula as State Shrimp - HB345 | SB1082
Establishes the ‘ōpae ‘ula as the state shrimp to protect anchialine pool ecosystems throughout Hawaiʻi.
Conference Update (4/8):
HB345: Conference committee pending
SB1082: No hearing in the Senate/Deferred
Support for Food Producers & Regenerative Farming Practices
Healthy Soils Program - HB968, SB552
Requires the Department of Agriculture to establish a Healthy Soils Program.
Crossover Update (3/6):
HB968: Passed AGR; No hearing in FIN/Deferred
SB552: Passed AGR; No hearing in FIN/Deferred
Waste Diversion Plans - HB751
Establishes statewide goals for solid waste reduction and organic waste diversion.
Crossover Update (3/6):
HB751: Passed AEN; No Hearing in WAM/Deferred
Repeal GE crop General Excise Tax exemption - SB681
Repeals the exemption to the general excise tax for agricultural businesses engaged in the production of genetically engineered agricultural products.
Crossover Update (3/6):
SB681: Passed AEN; No Hearing in WAM/Deferred
Farmer Housing Working Group - SB498 | HB1294
Establishes an Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group within the Department of Agriculture to address the shortage and challenges of agricultural workforce housing in the State.
Conference Update (4/8):
SB498: Passed AEN; No hearing in WAM/Deferred
HB1294: Passed out of Senate; Conference committee pending
Ban Foreign Ownership - HB192 | SB242
Prohibits foreign entities from owning, leasing, or holding a controlling interest in more than an unspecified number of acres of agricultural land.
Crossover Update (3/6):
HB192: No hearing in AGR; Deferred
SB242: Referred to AGR/WAL, JHA, FIN; No hearing in the House; Deferred
Corporate Ownership of Ag Land - SB245
Beginning 1/1/2026, prohibits certain entities from owning, purchasing, or acquiring ownership of agricultural lands.
Crossover Update (3/6):
SB245: Deferred in AEN
Agricultural Land Conveyance Tax - HB929
Establishes a surcharge on the conveyance tax upon the net capital gain from the transfer or conveyance of agricultural land.
Crossover Update (3/6):
HB929: Deferred in AGR
Agricultural Tourism - HB189
Requires the counties to adopt ordinances setting forth procedures and requirements for the review and permitting of agricultural tourism uses and activities as secondary uses, in addition to accessory uses, on a working farm or farming operation
Crossover Update (3/6):
HB189: Passed AGR/TOU; No hearing in WAL/Deferred
Amends Right to Farm Act - HB193, SB240
Policy Lead(s): Hawaiʻi Farmers Union (HFU)
Amends the definition of "farming operation" by including customary and traditional subsistence farming conducted by native Hawaiian cultural practitioners and excluding concentrated animal feeding operations and business entities with unclear or non-transparent ownership or beneficiary structures.
Crossover Update (3/6):
HB193: No hearing in AGR
SB240: Deferred in AEN
Farm to School/State
Policy Lead(s): Hawaii Farm to School Hui (HIPHI)
Local Ag. Procurement - HB191
Our Department of Education needs to establish clear rules for the procurement of goods and services for our public schools. This also will incorporate geographic preference for unprocessed locally grown and locally raised food products.
Crossover Update (3/6):
HB191: No hearing in EDN/Deferred
Farm to School - HB328 | SB235
Authorizes the Department of Education to establish a recognition program to incentivize schools to submit to the Department a plan for the school to reach the local farm to school meal goal of thirty percent of food served in the school to consist of locally sourced products by 2030. Requires public high schools under the Department of Education to provide plantbased meals as an option under the school meals program.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB328: Passed EDN & AGR; No hearing in FIN/Deferred
SB235: No hearing in EDU/AEN
Decentralization of DOE Farm to School - HB190 | SB248
Provides that complex area superintendents have the authority to implement the farm to school and farm to school meals programs.
First Lateral Update (2/14):
HB190: No hearing in EDN
SB248: No hearing in EDU/LBT
Join us this session in supporting a broad array of bills designed to support local farmers, food producers, increase local food production, address inequities in our food system such as food insecurity, and support regenerative and indigenous farming/food production practices.
Learn more information below about HAPA’s 2024 FSFS policy agenda and take action in support of these Fair & Sustainable Food System policy priorities!
New to Legislative Engagement? Learn more about how to engage in the Legislative Session!
Make sure you have set up your account on the Hawaii State Legislature website. If you are new to the process, see this helpful page on legislative engagement 101 from the Public Access Room including a link on how to submit testimony!
Mahalo for taking action!
