Bill > SB231

This bill amends Hawaii's agricultural land use regulations to provide more detailed guidelines for agricultural tourism, requiring counties to create ordinances that establish clear procedures for permitting agricultural tourism as both accessory and secondary uses on working farms. The bill mandates that these ordinances include specific requirements such as farm access details, facility restrictions, permissible visitor activities, operational hours, and automatic termination of tourism uses if the farming operation ceases. Critically, the bill establishes that agricultural tourism can only occur on land with an active, pre-existing agricultural use, which must be demonstrated through active cultivation, minimum annual agricultural revenue, or agricultural property tax status. The bill aims to support farmers by creating a structured framework for supplemental income through tourism while ensuring that the primary agricultural purpose of the land remains intact. Counties are given the flexibility to develop their own specific ordinances within these broad guidelines and may require environmental assessments for proposed agricultural tourism activities. The legislation does not affect any rights, penalties, or proceedings that existed before its effective date and will take effect upon approval.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=231&year=2026