Recap: How Our Food Systems Bills Fared This Session

We are approaching the end of this year’s legislative session in Hawaiʻi! Here is a recap of how HAPA’s Fair & Sustainable Food Systems priorities fared this session.  

Pesticide Protections

SB2103: Increased Pesticide (RUP) Buffer Zones Around Schools & Parks. Increases buffers from 100 feet around schools during school hours to ½ mile around schools and parks. Status: Dead. Passed out of the Senate, never scheduled for a hearing in the House Committee on Agriculture and Food Systems.

SB2100: Improves Online RUP Reporting Data. Requires RUP users to report quarterly and to report within a square mile so that credible public health research can be conducted. Status: Dead. Passed out of the Senate, gutted  in the House Committee on Agriculture and Food Systems. 

HB1880: Bans the use of 1,3-Dichloropropene (1,3-D, trade name Telone II), a carcinogenic and drift prone fumigant used heavily in Hawaiʻi by one entity. A ban will not impact the agricultural sector at large. Status: Dead. Passed out of the House, killed  in the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment, votes in support: Sen. Gabbard, Sen. Rhoads; votes in opposition: Sen. DeCoite, Sen. Richards, Sen. Awa. 

HB1570 + SB2333: Restricting Neonicotinoid Usage: 

Efforts to reign in neonic usage in Hawaii this session didn’t fare well, despite the uproar over injecting coconut trees with these systemic insecticides to address coconut rhinoceros beetles. Neonics are the heavily used insecticide globally and are linked to various human health impacts, as well as pollinator harm and toxicity to aquatic species. Status: Dead. Neither HB1570, introduced by Rep. Perruso, nor its companion SB2333, introduced by Sen. Gabbard made it to cross over. HB1570 was never scheduled for a hearing in House AGR and SB2333 passed out of Senate AEN but never was heard in CPN/WAM. 

Food Equity

A staggering one in three households in Hawaii are food insecure. These policy priorities seek to increase funding to provide food insecure households with nourishing locally sourced food, simultaneously supporting local food producers and growing our local economy. HAPA is proud to be a member of the Hawaii Hunger Action Network, which leads local advocacy efforts to address food insecurity in Hawaii. 

HB2208: Farm to Families - appropriates funds for food banks to purchase from local food producers. Builds upon partial funding in the last budget. Status: Alive. (moved to budget) $898,000 additional inserted into the budget (in addition to $500K from last year) Total $1.398M

HB1779: Free School Meals. Expands free school meal coverage, beginning with the 2029-2030 school year, to all Department of Education students regardless of whether the student participates in a federal school meals program. Status: Dead. Passed out of the House, never heard in the Senate Committee on Education. 

HB1518: SNAP Pre-Release Application Waiver: to establish a pre-release Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) application process for inmates nearing release. Status: Alive. Passed out of conference, going to a final floor vote. 

HB2458: Ban Surveillance Pricing on Food: Prohibits retailers from using surveillance pricing in the sale of food. Status: Dead. Passed out of the House, and Senate Committee on Labor and Technology, never scheduled for its final (joint) hearing in the Senate Committee on Commerce & Consumer Protection & the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.

Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge

Support for the perpetuation of traditional and customary practices - kalo farming, loko iʻa restoration, protection of near shore fisheries, community-based resource stewardship. 

HB2218: Support for Co-Management Agreements: Authorizes the Board of Land and Natural Resources to enter into community co-management agreements and establishes qualifications for eligible community co-managers. Authorizes the disposition of public lands by a community co-management agreement. Status: Alive. Passed out of conference, going to a final floor vote.

Support for Food Producers & Regenerative Farming Practices

Support for a range of bills that support, incentivize and catalyze increased local food production that is healthy for people and our local ecosystems. 

SB2110: Conservation Agriculture and Soil Health Incentive Program. Status: Dead. Passed out of both chambers, scheduled for conference committee, never released from WAM. 

HB1953: Conservation and Agriculture Environment Stewardship Pilot Program. Status: Dead. Passed out of the House and the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment. Never heard in the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. 

HB2548: Climate-Resilient Food System Grants. Status: Dead. Passed out of the House and the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment. Never heard in the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. 

SB2405: Agriculture Workforce Housing Working Group. Status: Dead. Died in Conference Committee. 

HB1604: Agricultural Workforce Housing. Status: Dead. Never heard in the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. 

HB1774: Centralized Climate Change Resource. Status: Dead. Never heard in the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. 

SB2101: Organic Waste Diversion: Updates and establishes additional statewide goals for solid waste stream and organic waste stream diversion. Requires the recycling, bioconversion, and organic waste diversion component to identify and assess methods to achieve certain organic waste stream reduction goals.Status: Alive. Passed out of Conference Committee, going to a final floor vote. 

Farm to School/State

From school meals to other public agencies, leveraging public dollars to source from our local food producers is a powerful tool for growing our local economy, supporting local farmers/food producers and providing nourishing meals for students, etc. 

HB2300: DOE Local Food Procurement: Streamlines small local food procurement for the Department of Education. Status: Alive. Passed out of Conference Committee, going to a final floor vote. 

SB3063: DOELocal Food Procurement:Strengthens the Department of Education’s ability to procure locally grown edible produce and packaged food products by providing procurement flexibility. Status: Dead. Died in Conference Committee.

Mahalo nui to those that have testified and followed along, your collective effort has made a huge difference in the fight for good legislation.

While we are frustrated by the lack of action on many bills, we remain dedicated to protecting public health, especially of our keiki. Stay tuned for more ways to engage!