STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2791

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2102

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 2102, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INDUSTRIAL HEMP,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the use of hemp-derived feed ingredients in certain commercial animal feeds;

(2) Authorize the use of hemp and hemp-derived feed ingredients in commercial feed for livestock, contingent on approval by the federal government or Association of American Feed Control Officials; and

(3) Require the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to adopt rules.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United, and one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity.

Your Committee finds that hemp is a versatile crop that grows well in the State's climate and is an efficient use of land and water resources. By allowing hemp-derived ingredients in animal feed, this measure would lower costs for local farmers, enhance feed quality, and foster the State's emerging hemp industry.

Your Committee acknowledges the concerns raised in testimony by the Department of the Attorney General that, by conditioning the legality of livestock feed ingredients on future approvals by the United States Food and Drug Administration or private entities like the Association of American Feed Control Officials, this measure may be subject to challenge as an unlawful delegation of legislative power.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language throughout the measure that would have conditioned the inclusion of hemp or hemp-derived feed ingredients in livestock feed on future approvals or publications by certain organizations;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2102, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2102, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

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JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair