Bill > SB1331

This bill requires the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development (OPSD) to update the Land Study Bureau (LSB) Soil Rating System, which is a method for classifying agricultural land based on soil quality that has not been revised since the 1960s and 1970s. The OPSD will update the soil data by incorporating the latest soil information from the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, develop a process for regular data updates, create detailed digital soil maps, and draft necessary statutory changes. The office will collaborate with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the American Farmland Trust to ensure national standards are met, and will establish a public review process for the updated data. The OPSD will work with various state agencies, including the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, University of Hawaii's College of Tropical Agriculture, Land Use Commission, and county planning agencies to complete this work. The bill appropriates $400,000 for fiscal year 2025-2026 to support these efforts, with the goal of improving the credibility and usefulness of the soil rating system for guiding agricultural land regulation and supporting the state's food and agricultural sustainability goals. The bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2050, and requires the OPSD to present the final updated LSB Soil Rating System to the legislature within 24 months of the effective date.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=1331&year=2026