Bill > HB1294

This bill establishes an Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group within the Department of Agriculture to address the critical shortage of housing for agricultural workers in Hawaii. The working group will include high-level representatives from state agencies, county governments, and agricultural organizations, with co-chairs from the Board of Agriculture and Agribusiness Development Corporation. The group's responsibilities include determining specific housing needs for agricultural workers in each county, assessing existing laws and policies that impact agricultural workforce housing, exploring potential zoning changes to facilitate housing near agricultural zones, identifying financial incentives like tax credits for employers who invest in workforce housing, and studying the feasibility of state income tax credits for housing construction. The working group is required to submit an interim report before the 2027 legislative session and a final report before the 2028 legislative session, after which the group will be dissolved. The bill also appropriates funds for the working group to gather data, prepare reports, and cover consultation and related expenses, with the funding allocated for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2050, providing a long-term strategic approach to addressing agricultural workforce housing challenges in Hawaii.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1294&year=2026