THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	448
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to agriculture.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that article XI, section 1 of the Hawaii State Constitution mandates that the State "conserve and protect Hawaii's natural beauty and all natural resources, including land, water, air, minerals and energy sources, and shall promote the development and utilization of these resources in a manner consistent with their conservation and in furtherance of the self-sufficiency of the State." Article XI, section 3 of the Hawaii State Constitution further specifies that the State is obligated to "conserve and protect agricultural lands, promote diversified agriculture, increase agricultural self-sufficiency and assure the availability of agriculturally suitable lands."

The legislature further finds that statute allows the creation of conservation easements to effectuate this constitutional mandate as conservation easements may be created to preserve and protect land for agricultural use. The State has also enacted ambitious mandates for the purchase of locally produced food. Act 175, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, requires thirty per cent of the food that the department of education serves in public schools be locally sourced by 2030, and Act 176, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, requires that fresh local agricultural products and local value-added processed, agricultural, or food products constitute at least fifty per cent of the total produce purchased by state departments by January 1, 2050.

The legislature also finds that the State must act aggressively to meet these statutory mandates and to preserve and protect agricultural lands to ensure that they are available for future food production.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the agribusiness development corporation to acquire a conservation easement in central Oahu.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the acquisition of a conservation easement in central Oahu.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the agribusiness development corporation for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

ADC; Conservation Easement; Agriculture; Appropriations

Description:

Appropriates funds to the Agribusiness Development Corporation to acquire a conservation easement in Central Oahu.

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