SB498

SECTION 1. (a) The department of agriculture shall establish an agricultural workforce housing working group to address the shortage and challenges of agricultural workforce housing in the State.

(b) The working group shall comprise the following members or their designees:

(1) The governor;

(2) The chairperson of the board of agriculture, who shall serve as co-chair of the working group;

(3) The chairperson of the Hawaiian homes commission;

(4) The chairperson of the agribusiness development corporation, who shall serve as co-chair of the working group;

(5) The executive director of the Hawaii housing finance and development corporation;

(6) The executive director of the Hawaii public housing authority;

(7) The chairperson of the land use commission;

(8) The director of the office of planning and sustainable development;

(9) The chief engineer of the engineering division of the department of land and natural resources;

(10) The mayor of each county;

(11) The director of each county planning department;

(12) The director of each county housing department; and

(13) The chief engineer of each county board of water supply.

(c) The co-chairs of the working group shall invite one representative from each of the following organizations to participate as a member of the working group:

(1) Hawaii Agricultural Foundation;

(2) Hawaii Agriculture Research Center;

(3) Hawaii Farm Bureau; and

(4) Hawaii Farmers Union United.

(d) The co-chairs of the working group may invite other individuals with relevant knowledge and expertise to serve as working group members.

(e) No member shall be made subject to chapter 84, Hawaii Revised Statutes, solely because of that member's participation as a member of the working group.

(f) The department of agriculture is requested to provide administrative support to the working group.

(g) The working group shall:

(1) Determine:

(A) The specific housing needs of each agricultural workforce within each county; and

(B) Existing government resources available for adaptive reuse into agricultural workforce housing;

(2) Assess existing laws, policies, and procedures that would allow the construction of workforce housing:

(A) Near agricultural zones; or

(B) With agricultural facilities in mixed-use developmental zones;

(3) Consider any revisions necessary to existing zoning and land use policies that would allow the construction of workforce housing:

(A) Near agricultural zones; or

(B) With agricultural facilities in mixed-use developmental zones;

(4) Explore partnerships with private and public entities to construct agricultural workforce housing projects;

(5) Identify any financial incentives, such as tax credit programs for agricultural employers who invest in housing solutions for their workforce, that would support the construction of agricultural workforce housing projects in the State; and

(6) Study the feasibility of implementing a state income tax credit to investors who incur costs to construct, install, acquire, or rehabilitate agricultural workforce housing in the State.

(h) The working group shall submit an interim report of its progress, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2027, and submit a final report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2028.

(i) The working group shall be dissolved on June 30, 2028.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $800,000 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 agricultural workforce housing working group established in section I of this Act to gather the necessary data and prepare the required reports, including any consultation fees and related expenses.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.

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

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	498
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII