HB 2425

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.B. NO.
2425
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
H.D. 1
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 3, of the Hawaii State
Constitution requires the legislature to "provide standards and criteria"
to conserve and protect agricultural lands and promote diversified agriculture.� The legislature further finds that the
commercial production of sugarcane on former sugarcane lands has altered the
landscape in a manner that can best be addressed through ongoing agricultural
stewardship. �Former sugarcane lands
represent an opportunity for revegetation, invasive weed reduction, and
enhanced wildfire resilience, all of which would be advanced by the development
of diversified agriculture.� Therefore,
the legislature finds that the promotion of diversified agriculture on former sugarcane
lands is in the best interest of the State.
���� The legislature also finds that the permitting
process for land uses in the conservation district may disproportionately
burden agricultural enterprises that regularly operate on thin margins. �The permitting process may cause long delays
in bringing land into production, further straining the operating budgets of
agricultural enterprises.
���� Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
promote the development of diversified agriculture on former sugarcane lands by
exempting any agricultural enterprise practicing diversified agriculture on
former sugarcane lands in a conservation district from permitting and site
approval requirements.
���� SECTION 2.� Chapter 183C, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:
���� "�183C-   � Former
sugarcane lands; permits and site plan approvals; exemption.� Notwithstanding
any law to the contrary, any agricultural enterprise practicing diversified
agriculture on former sugarcane lands within the conservation district shall be
exempt from any requirement for a permit or site plan approval under section
183C-6 for the operations within the conservation district."
���� SECTION 3.� Section 183C-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding two new definitions to be appropriately inserted and to read
as follows:
���� ""Diversified
agriculture" means the production of flowers and nursery products, fruits,
vegetables, milk, forage, grains, forest products, coffee, taro, cattle,
poultry, swine, or other livestock.�
"Diversified agriculture" does not include the production of
sugarcane or pineapple or high intensity animal husbandry operations with feed
lots or dairy barns with stocking rates that exceed three animal units per
acre.
���� "Former sugarcane
lands" means any land devoted to the commercial production of sugarcane
before January 1, 2000."
���� SECTION 4.� Section 183C-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
���� "(a)� [[The]] Except as provided in section
183C-   , the department shall regulate land use in the
conservation district by the issuance of permits."
���� SECTION
5.� Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.� New statutory
material is underscored.
���� SECTION 6.� This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.
Report Title:
Conservation District; Agricultural Enterprises; Former
Sugarcane Lands; Diversified Agriculture; Permit; Exemption
Description:
Exempts any agricultural enterprise practicing diversified
agriculture on lands formerly used for commercial sugarcane production within
the conservation district from any permitting and site plan approval
requirements established for lands in a conservation district.� Effective
7/1/3000.� (HD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.