STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2186

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2405

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2405 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish an Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to address the shortage of agricultural workforce housing in the State;

(2) Require reports to the Legislature; and

(3) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Department of Research and Development of the County of Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Farmers Union United, Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau, Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy, Maui Chamber of Commerce, and two individuals.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and Agribusiness Development Corporation.

Your Committee finds that members of the State's agricultural workforce often struggle to find affordable housing. Agricultural businesses have reported that the lack of affordable housing opportunities hinder worker recruitment and retention, production expansion, and long-term business operations. Your Committee also finds that access to affordable housing for agricultural workers will improve their health, safety, and overall well-being. Accordingly, this measure will establish an Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group to ensure that the State's agricultural workforce is adequately housed and to strengthen the State's agricultural industry.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a blank appropriation amount;

(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.

Your Committee notes that this measure, as amended, contains an unspecified appropriation amount. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider an appropriation amount of $250,000 for the Working Group to gather data and prepare reports.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2405, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2405, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair