THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2258

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to local purchasing preference.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  Chapter 27, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§27-     Contracts for natural landscaping materials; percentage to be from within the State.  (a)  The department of education, department of health, department of corrections and rehabilitation, department of defense, department of accounting and general services, and university of Hawaii system shall each ensure that a certain percentage of the natural landscaping materials purchased for public schools, youth campuses, public hospitals, public prisons, and public facilities and any purchases made directly by the university of Hawaii for use in its academic programs is as follows:

     (1)  By January 1, 2028, local natural landscaping materials shall constitute a minimum of ten per cent of the total natural landscaping materials purchased during each year, as measured by the per cent of total natural landscaping materials cost;

     (2)  By January 1, 2030, local natural landscaping materials shall constitute a minimum of twenty per cent of the total natural landscaping materials purchased during each year, as measured by the per cent of total natural landscaping materials cost; and

     (3)  By January 1, 2032, local natural landscaping materials shall constitute a minimum of thirty per cent of the total natural landscaping materials purchased during each year, as measured by the per cent of total natural landscaping materials cost.

     (b)  The department of education, department of health, department of corrections and rehabilitation, department of defense, department of accounting and general services, and university of Hawaii system shall each submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session on progress made toward meeting the benchmarks described in subsection (a), including:

     (1)  The total cost of natural landscaping materials during the year preceding that regular session;

     (2)  The percentage of the total cost of natural landscaping materials purchased during the year preceding that regular session, accounted for by the total cost of local natural landscaping materials purchased; and

     (3)  If the department or university of Hawaii system did not meet the relevant benchmark described in subsection (a), an explanation of why the department or university of Hawaii system did not meet that benchmark.

     The report may be combined with the report required under section 27-8(b).

     (c)  As used in this section:

     "Local natural landscaping materials" means natural landscaping materials, of which more than fifty per cent of the wholesale value is added by manufacture, processing, production, or harvesting in Hawaii.

     "Natural landscaping materials" means materials used for landscaping, of which at least fifty per cent by weight is derived from previously living matter.  "Natural landscaping materials" includes wood mulch and compost.

     "Year" shall have the same meaning as in section 27-8."

     SECTION 2.  Section 27-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§27-8  Contracts for food; percentage to be grown within the State.  (a)  The department of education, department of health, department of corrections and rehabilitation, department of defense, and university of Hawaii system shall each ensure that a certain percentage of the food purchased for public schools, youth campuses, public hospitals, public prisons, and any purchases made directly by the university of Hawaii for use in its academic programs, as applicable, is fresh local agricultural products and local value-added, processed, agricultural, or food products, as follows:

     (1)  By January 1, 2025, fresh local agricultural products and local value-added, processed, agricultural, or food products shall constitute a minimum of ten per cent of the total food purchased during each [calendar] year, as measured by the per cent of total food cost; provided that the department of education shall be exempt from the requirements of this paragraph;

     (2)  By January 1, 2030, fresh local agricultural products and local value-added, processed, agricultural, or food products shall constitute a minimum of eighteen per cent of the total food purchased during each [calendar] year, as measured by the per cent of total food cost; provided that the department of education shall be exempt from the requirements of this paragraph and instead shall be subject to the requirements in section 302A-405.6(a);

     (3)  By January 1, 2035, fresh local agricultural products and local value-added, processed, agricultural, or food products shall constitute a minimum of twenty-six per cent of the total food purchased during each [calendar] year, as measured by the per cent of total food cost; provided that the department of education shall be exempt from the requirements of this paragraph;

     (4)  By January 1, 2040, fresh local agricultural products and local value-added, processed, agricultural, or food products shall constitute a minimum of thirty‑four per cent of the total food purchased during each [calendar] year, as measured by the per cent of total food cost;

     (5)  By January 1, 2045, fresh local agricultural products and local value-added, processed, agricultural, or food products shall constitute a minimum of forty-two per cent of the total food purchased during each [calendar] year, as measured by the per cent of total food cost; and

     (6)  By January 1, 2050, fresh local agricultural products and local value-added, processed, agricultural, or food products shall constitute a minimum of fifty per cent of the total food purchased during each [calendar] year, as measured by the per cent of total food cost.

     (b)  The department of education, department of health, department of corrections and rehabilitation, department of defense, and [University] university of Hawaii system shall each submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session on progress made toward meeting the benchmarks described in subsection (a), including:

     (1)  The total cost of food purchased during the [calendar] year preceding that regular session[, or in the case of the department of education, during the school year preceding that regular session];

     (2)  The percentage of the total cost of food purchased during the [calendar] year preceding that regular session, accounted for by the total cost of fresh local agricultural products and local value-added, processed, agricultural, or food products purchased[, or in the case of the department of education, during the school year preceding that regular session]; and

     (3)  If the department or [University] university of Hawaii system did not meet the relevant benchmark described in subsection (a), an explanation of why the department or [University] university of Hawaii system did not meet that benchmark.

     The report may be combined with the report required under section 27-   (b).

     (c)  As used in this section:

     "Fresh local agricultural products" means fruits, vegetables, nuts, coffee, eggs, poultry and poultry products, livestock and livestock products, milk and milk products, aquacultural and maricultural products, and horticultural products, that are one hundred per cent grown, raised, and harvested in Hawaii.

     "Local value-added, processed, agricultural, or food products" means a product for which at least fifty-one per cent of its primary agricultural product is grown, raised, and harvested in Hawaii.

     "Primary agricultural product" means the major agricultural product in a processed or value-added agricultural or food product.

     "Year" means calendar year; provided that for the department of education, "year" means school year."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

DOE; DOH; DCR; DOD; DAGS; UH; Local Preference; Landscaping Materials; Mulch; Compost; Soil

 

Description:

Gradually requires that by 2032, 30% of natural landscaping materials purchased by certain departments be purchased from sources that manufacture, process, produce, or harvest the natural landscaping materials in Hawaii.  Applies to the Department of Education, Department of Health, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of Defense, Department of Accounting and General Services, and University of Hawaii.

 

 

 

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