# Hawaii SB 659: RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

Hawaii SB 659, RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1) Senate bill sponsored by Mike Gabbard (Democratic); status passed senate, last action 2025-03-21 (Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1406), recommending referral to FIN.) (as of 2026-10-28).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB659-2025
- 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 659
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1)
- Title: RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
- Status: passed senate
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2025-03-21, Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1406), recommending referral to FIN.
- Sponsor: Mike Gabbard (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: DOE, Procurement, Locally Sourced Products, Fresh Local Agricultural Products, Local Value-Added Processed, Agricultural, or Food Products, Exemption, Geographic Preference, EDN, AGR, FIN
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Exempts from the electronic procurement system the Department of Education's purchase of fresh local agricultural products and local value-added processed, agricultural, or food products not exceeding a certain amount, subject to certain requirements. Requires the Department of Education to establish guidelines for determining a geographic preference for locally sourced products. Exempts the Department of Education from the requirement that certain agricultural products are subject to the Hawaii Public Procurement Code. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mike Gabbard (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Glenn Wakai (Democratic), Senate

## Actions (24)

- 2025-03-21: Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1406), recommending referral to FIN. (House)
- 2025-03-21: Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Garrett, Kapela, Kitagawa, Ward excused (5). (House)
- 2025-03-19: The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Kusch, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward. (House)
- 2025-03-14: Bill scheduled to be heard by AGR on Wednesday, 03-19-25 9:30AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-13: Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1190) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to AGR. (House)
- 2025-03-13: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on AGR with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Holt, Ward, Woodson excused (4). (House)
- 2025-03-11: The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Sayama, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Muraoka. (House)
- 2025-03-07: Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Tuesday, 03-11-25 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-06: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to EDN, AGR, FIN, referral sheet 19 (House)
- 2025-03-04: Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) DeCoite, Inouye, Kim. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 182) in amended form (SD 2). (House)
- 2025-02-28: Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 921) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). (Senate)
- 2025-02-28: 48 Hrs. Notice 03-04-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-26: The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. 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)
- 2025-02-20: The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-26-25 10:03AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-13: Reported from EDU/AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 434) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-13: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-10: The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kidani, Kanuha, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 2 No(es): Senator(s) Kim, Hashimoto; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-10: The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in AEN were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, Richards, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) DeCoite ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Rhoads. (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: The committee(s) on EDU/AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-10-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Referred to EDU/AEN, WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Introduced. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Passed First Reading. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB659_HD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB659_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB659_.PDF)
- SB659_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB659_HD1_.HTM)
- SB659_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB659_SD1_.HTM)
- SB659_SD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB659_SD2_.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/SB659_HD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB659_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB659_.PDF)
- [SB659_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB659_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB659_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB659_SD1_.HTM)
- [SB659_SD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB659_SD2_.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)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB659-2025 (as of 2026-10-28).