STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1252-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.B. No. 3233

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems, to which was referred S.B. No. 3233, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require state agencies that administer agricultural leases, licenses, development programs, or procurement involving agricultural products to award additional points or preferences to agricultural projects that voluntarily provide agricultural workforce housing.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Agribusiness Development Corporation; Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau; Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce; Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity.

Your Committee finds that agricultural workforce housing is essential to developing and sustaining the workforce needed to advance the State's agricultural sector. Your Committee further finds that farms across the State, particularly on the neighbor islands, face persistent labor shortages that are driven in part by limited availability and high costs of housing. The lack of reliable and proximate housing for agricultural workers hinders farm operations, limits production capacity, and undermines efforts to meet institutional and community food demand. Your Committee believes that incorporating agricultural workforce housing as a scored public benefit within various state evaluation and decision-making processes will support workforce stability, improve food security, and strengthen rural and neighbor island economies.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying the definition of "agricultural project" to mean any agricultural, aquacultural, or agroforestry project that includes subdivision and capital improvements to the land;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3233, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3233, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Housing.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture & Food Systems,

____________________________

CORY CHUN, Chair