HawaiiHB 17372025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)HouseWALLET

RELATING TO FARM EMPLOYEE HOUSING.

Sponsored By: Luke A. Evslin (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

Summary

Clarifies the allowable uses within agricultural districts with respect to farm dwellings and farm employee housing. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

AgricultureAgricultural DistrictsZoningFarm DwellingFarm Employee HousingAEN/HOU, JDC

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

New housing options for farm workers

The law allows homes for farm workers on agricultural land. Each farm employee housing unit can have up to 800 square feet of living space and must be accessory to a farm. Counties may limit residents to active farm workers and their immediate families. In plantation subdivisions, residents must meet specific worker or former-worker rules; housing owned by someone else must be rented at affordable rates to agricultural workers. Farm dwellings no longer have to be single-family homes, and farm activity no longer has to provide income to the family. Clusters of farm homes also qualify in state-developed agricultural parks when permitted there. Owners cannot use a condominium property setup to separate ownership of the housing from the farm dwelling.

New tourism options for working farms

Farm operators can run agricultural tourism activities on a parcel with a farm dwelling, subject to county rules. The activities must stay secondary to farming and cannot take place inside farm employee housing. Overnight stays can last up to 21 days per stay in counties with at least three islands that adopt an enabling ordinance.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Luke A. Evslin

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

  • Terez Amato

    Democratic • House

  • Ikaika Hussey

    Democratic • House

  • Greggor Ilagan

    Democratic • House

  • Kim Coco Iwamoto

    Democratic • House

  • KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY

    Affiliation unavailable

  • Darius K. Kila

    Democratic • House

  • Matthias Kusch

    Democratic • House

  • Mike Lee

    Democratic • House

  • M.

    Affiliation unavailable

  • Lisa Marten

    Democratic • House

  • Lauren Matsumoto

    Republican • House

  • Tyson K. Miyake

    Democratic • House

  • Dee Morikawa

    Democratic • House

  • REYES ODA

    Affiliation unavailable

  • Jackson D. Sayama

    Democratic • House

  • Garner M. Shimizu

    Republican • House

  • Kanani Souza

    Republican • House

  • David A. Tarnas

    Democratic • House

  • Chris Todd

    Democratic • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 249 • No: 4

House vote • 5/6/2026

House Floor Vote

Yes: 47 • No: 4

Senate vote • 5/1/2026

Senate Floor Vote

Yes: 24 • No: 0

House vote • 4/27/2026

The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments....

Yes: 5 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/27/2026

The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS....

Yes: 4 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/14/2026

Senate Floor Vote

Yes: 25 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/9/2026

The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT...

Yes: 5 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/18/2026

The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT...

Yes: 5 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/18/2026

The committee(s) on HOU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT...

Yes: 3 • No: 0

House vote • 3/10/2026

House Floor Vote

Yes: 50 • No: 0

House vote • 3/4/2026

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ...

Yes: 8 • No: 0

House vote • 2/18/2026

The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ...

Yes: 7 • No: 0

House vote • 2/11/2026

Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on AGR...

Yes: 50 • No: 0

House vote • 2/6/2026

The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ...

Yes: 7 • No: 0

House vote • 2/6/2026

The committee on HSG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ...

Yes: 9 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Act 034, 05/26/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1134).

    5/26/2026Senate
  2. Act 034, on 05/26/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1134).

    5/26/2026House
  3. Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).

    5/8/2026Senate
  4. Transmitted to Governor.

    5/7/2026House
  5. Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with Representative(s) Amato, Garcia voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Belatti, Marten, Perruso, Poepoe voting no (4) and none excused (0).

    5/6/2026House
  6. Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 814).

    5/5/2026House
  7. Deferred one day 05-06-26.

    5/1/2026House
  8. Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Fukunaga).

    5/1/2026Senate
  9. Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 25-26) as amended in (CD 1).

    4/29/2026House
  10. Forty-eight (48) hours notice Friday, 05-01-26.

    4/29/2026House
  11. Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 25-26).

    4/29/2026Senate
  12. 48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-01-26

    4/29/2026Senate
  13. The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Evslin, Hashem, Chun, Tarnas, Cochran; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

    4/27/2026House
  14. The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, Chang, Rhoads, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

    4/27/2026Senate
  15. Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Monday, 04-27-26 10:20AM in conference room 224.

    4/24/2026House
  16. Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 810).

    4/23/2026Senate
  17. House Conferees Appointed: Evslin, Hashem, Chun, Tarnas Co-Chairs; Cochran.

    4/22/2026House
  18. Senate Conferees Appointed: Gabbard Chair; Chang, Rhoads Co-Chairs; Awa.

    4/20/2026Senate
  19. Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 713).

    4/20/2026House
  20. Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 780).

    4/17/2026Senate
  21. House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

    4/16/2026House
  22. Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

    4/14/2026Senate
  23. Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 615) in amended form (SD 2).

    4/14/2026House
  24. Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3768) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).

    4/10/2026Senate
  25. 48 Hrs. Notice 04-14-26.

    4/10/2026Senate

Bill Text

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