STAND. COM. REP. NO. 716

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 966

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 966, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL TOURISM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish statewide, uniform standards to promote agricultural tourism activities in the State by:

(1) Creating agricultural tourism activity requirements that are applicable to all counties that have adopted an agricultural tourism ordinance;

(2) Requiring agricultural tourism activities to be registered by the county planning department; and

(3) Requiring agricultural tourism activities to coexist with agricultural activity on a farming operation and providing for the termination of agricultural tourism activities upon the cessation of the agricultural activity.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Agribusiness Development Corporation; Maui Chamber of Commerce; Heavenly Hawaiian Farms; Hawaii Food+ Policy; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Grassroot Institute of Hawaii; Mahina Farms Maui; and five individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Hawai‘i Tourism Authority; Hawaii Cattlemen's Council, Inc.; and Kualoa Ranch.

Your Committee finds that the addition of agricultural tourism activities is rapidly becoming an essential part of the business model for many farms and ranches. Your Committee further finds that existing regulation for agricultural tourism activities across the State is disjointed, as each county currently has its own agricultural tourism activity permitting process, standards, procedures, and definitions. Your Committee believes that establishing uniform, statewide standards for agricultural tourism activities will allow Hawaii's agricultural producers to tap into a critical revenue stream while still ensuring agricultural lands are used primarily for agricultural purposes.

Your Committee notes the concerns raised by the Department of Agriculture and Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau in their written testimony regarding the need to ensure there are no unintended consequences of the changes proposed by this measure and that there is sufficient oversight related to agricultural operations and land use. Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider whether this measure should revert back to the version as introduced.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 966, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair