# Hawaii SB 443: RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LANDS.

Hawaii SB 443, RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LANDS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1) Senate bill sponsored by Donovan M. Dela Cruz (Democratic); status passed house, last action 2025-04-15 (Senate Conferees Appointed: Inouye Chair; Wakai, DeCoite Co-Chairs; DeCorte.) (as of 2026-10-28).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB443-2025
- As of: 2026-10-28
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 443
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1)
- Title: RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LANDS.
- Status: passed house
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-16
- Last action: 2025-04-15, Senate Conferees Appointed: Inouye Chair; Wakai, DeCoite Co-Chairs; DeCorte.
- Sponsor: Donovan M. Dela Cruz (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 6
- Subjects: DOA, Solar, Wind, Agricultural Lands, AGR/EEP, CPC
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Requires that lands within the agricultural district with class B or C soils that have solar or wind energy facilities must also obtain certification from the Department of Agriculture that the lands are also used for a farming operation. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Donovan M. Dela Cruz (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: AQUINO
- Cosponsor: Troy N. Hashimoto (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Lorraine R. Inouye (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Michelle N. Kidani (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Donna Mercado Kim (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Joy A. San Buenaventura (Democratic), Senate

## Actions (31)

- 2025-04-15: Senate Conferees Appointed: Inouye Chair; Wakai, DeCoite Co-Chairs; DeCorte. (Senate)
- 2025-04-15: Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 789). (House)
- 2025-04-10: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 648). (Senate)
- 2025-04-10: Senate disagrees with House amendments. (Senate)
- 2025-04-10: Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 779). (House)
- 2025-04-08: Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Marten excused (2). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2025-04-04: Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2009) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading. (House)
- 2025-04-04: Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 04-08-25. (House)
- 2025-04-02: The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Kong, Lowen, Marten, Tam; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Pierick. (House)
- 2025-03-31: Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Wednesday, 04-02-25 2:00PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-21: Reported from AGR/EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1411) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC. (House)
- 2025-03-21: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Garrett, Kapela, Kitagawa, Ward excused (5). (House)
- 2025-03-19: The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Kusch, Lowen, Perruso; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Quinlan, Ward. (House)
- 2025-03-19: The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Kahaloa, Kusch; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Quinlan, Ward. (House)
- 2025-03-14: Bill scheduled to be heard by AGR/EEP on Wednesday, 03-19-25 10:30AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-04: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-03-04: Referred to AGR/EEP, CPC, referral sheet 18 (House)
- 2025-02-28: Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 2 (Senator(s) Fukunaga, Kidani). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2025-02-28: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 42) in amended form (SD 1). (House)
- 2025-02-27: Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 776) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-02-27: One Day Notice 02-28-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Reported from WTL/EIG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 603) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-19-25 10:02AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: The committee(s) on WTL recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WTL were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Elefante, Chang, McKelvey, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EIG were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Wakai, Chang, Richards; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) DeCoite, Fevella. (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: The committee(s) on WTL/EIG has scheduled a public hearing on 02-07-25 1:11PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Referred to WTL/EIG, WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-16: Introduced. (Senate)
- 2025-01-16: Passed First Reading. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB443_HD2_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB443_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB443_.PDF)
- SB443_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB443_HD1_.HTM)
- SB443_HD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB443_HD2_.HTM)
- SB443_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB443_SD1_.HTM)

## Related bills

- SB 572: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES. (signed)
- SB 1296: RELATING TO DISASTER RECOVERY. (signed)
- HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS. (signed)
- HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB443_HD2_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB443_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB443_.PDF)
- [SB443_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB443_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB443_HD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB443_HD2_.HTM)
- [SB443_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB443_SD1_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 572: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB572-2025)
- [HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB431-2025)
- [HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB420-2025)
- [SB 1296: RELATING TO DISASTER RECOVERY.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1296-2025)
- [HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB830-2025)
- [HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1064-2025)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB443-2025 (as of 2026-10-28).