---
type: "Bill"
title: "RELATING TO AGRICULTURE."
description: "Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to convene a Bona Fide Farmer Working Group to develop multi-tiered, matrix-based definitions for the terms \"bona fide farmer\" and \"bona fide agricultural activity\". Requires a report to the Legislature. (CD1)"
jurisdiction: "us/states/hi"
legislature: "Hawaii Legislature"
session: "2026"
identifier: "SB 2153"
citation: "Hawaii SB 2153 (2026)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Bona Fide Agricultural Activity", "Bona Fide Farmer", "DAB", "Definitions", "Report", "Working Group"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["KIDANI", "MCKELVEY", "RICHARDS"]
version_count: 5
action_count: 48
vote_count: 8
first_action: "2026-01-14"
last_action: "2026-06-26"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/967f4104-52cb-47bf-a24d-f52ccc4585e3"
source_url: "https://capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=2153&year=2026"
source_hash: "3103ef2e99c1266c5e95981410f2fde921724b82a8899af21317c287e4ee68cb"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-hi"]
---

# Hawaii SB 2153 (2026) — RELATING TO AGRICULTURE.

Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to convene a Bona Fide Farmer Working Group to develop multi-tiered, matrix-based definitions for the terms "bona fide farmer" and "bona fide agricultural activity". Requires a report to the Legislature. (CD1)

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **SB2153** (committee substitute) — [source](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2153_.HTM)
2. **SB2153_CD1** (committee substitute) — [source](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2153_CD1_.HTM)
3. **SB2153_HD1** (committee substitute) — [source](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2153_HD1_.HTM)
4. **SB2153_SD1** (committee substitute) — [source](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2153_SD1_.HTM)
5. **SB2153_SD2** (committee substitute) — [source](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2153_SD2_.HTM)

## Votes

- The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. — **15–0** (pass) · lower
- The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. — **12–0** (pass) · upper
- The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. — **6–0** (pass) · lower
- Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). — **24–0** (pass) · upper
- The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. — **4–0** (pass) · lower
- The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. — **4–1** (pass) · upper
- The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. — **3–0** (pass) · upper
- Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). — **24–1** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- KIDANI — primary (person)
- MCKELVEY — primary (person)
- RICHARDS — primary (person)
- Fukunaga — cosponsor (person)
- Hashimoto — cosponsor (person)
- Moriwaki — cosponsor (person)
- San Buenaventura — cosponsor (person)
- Wakai — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2026-06-26** Act 167, on 06/26/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1269). `became-law`
- **2026-06-26** Act 167, 06/26/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1269). `became-law`
- **2026-05-07** Enrolled to Governor. `executive-receipt`
- **2026-05-08** Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888). `receipt`
- **2026-05-06** Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). `passage`
- **2026-05-05** Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 814). `receipt`
- **2026-05-01** Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Fukunaga). `passage`
- **2026-05-01** Deferred one day 05-06-26. `deferral`
- **2026-04-29** Forty-eight (48) hours notice Friday, 05-01-26.
- **2026-04-29** Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 32-26) as amended in (CD 1).
- **2026-04-29** 48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-01-26.
- **2026-04-29** Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 32-26).
- **2026-04-28** The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Chun, Kusch, Kahaloa, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
- **2026-04-28** The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, Richards, DeCoite; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-04-24** Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-28-26 9:30AM; Conference Room 325.
- **2026-04-23** Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-24-26 11:00AM; Conference Room 325.
- **2026-04-20** Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 714). `receipt`
- **2026-04-20** Senate Conferees Appointed: Gabbard Chair; Richards Co-Chair; DeCoite.
- **2026-04-20** Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 787). `receipt`
- **2026-04-20** House Conferees Appointed: Chun, Kusch Co-Chairs; Kahaloa, Matsumoto.
- **2026-04-10** Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 564). `receipt`
- **2026-04-10** Senate disagrees with House amendments. `amendment-failure`
- **2026-04-10** Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 502). `introduction, receipt`
- **2026-04-09** Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1). Transmitted to Senate. `passage`
- **2026-04-09** Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1998-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
- **2026-04-07** The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Morikawa. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-04-02** Bill scheduled for decision making on Tuesday, 04-07-26 10:10AM in conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- **2026-04-02** The committee(s) on FIN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 04-07-26. `deferral`
- **2026-03-31** Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Thursday, 04-02-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- **2026-03-24** Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Garrett, Quinlan excused (2). `reading-2, referral-committee`
- **2026-03-24** Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1389-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
- **2026-03-20** The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Chun, Kusch, Kahaloa, Lowen, Perruso, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Quinlan. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-03-17** Bill scheduled to be heard by AGR on Friday, 03-20-26 9:30AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- **2026-03-12** Referred to AGR, FIN, referral sheet 17 `referral-committee`
- **2026-03-12** Pass First Reading `reading-1`
- **2026-03-10** Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 183) in amended form (SD 2). `introduction, receipt`
- **2026-03-10** Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 1 (Senator(s) Awa). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. `passage`
- **2026-03-06** 48 Hrs. Notice 03-10-26.
- **2026-03-06** Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2942) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).
- **2026-03-03** The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-02-27** The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 03-03-26 10:17AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
- **2026-02-11** Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. `reading-2, referral-committee`
- **2026-02-11** Reported from AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2187) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
- **2026-01-28** 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, DeCoite, Rhoads; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none. `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-01-23** The committee(s) on AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 01-28-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
- **2026-01-22** Referred to AEN, WAM. `referral-committee`
- **2026-01-21** Introduced and passed First Reading. `introduction`
- **2026-01-14** Pending Introduction.

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/967f4104-52cb-47bf-a24d-f52ccc4585e3`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Hawaii legislature records).