Hawaii House Bill HB884

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/23/25
• Refer: 1/23/25

Caption

Relating To Agricultural Lands.

Impact

The proposed legislation seeks to establish a prohibition on foreign entities—defined broadly to include individuals and groups outside the United States—from owning or acquiring interests in Hawaii’s agricultural lands. This change reflects a growing trend in various states towards enforcing statutory restrictions on foreign acquisition of critical resources, seen as necessary to safeguard local agricultural interests and ensure that land management aligns with the goals of the state’s agricultural policies, which emphasize food security and local stakeholder engagement.

Summary

House Bill 884 aims to address the increasing foreign ownership of agricultural lands in Hawaii, which has reportedly surged from 166,000 to 278,000 acres over the past five years. This advent of foreign ownership raises detailed concerns regarding agricultural productivity, as these owners may not maintain close connections with the land and may prioritize different stakeholder interests. The bill is introduced as a response to promote the sustainable development and protection of Hawaii’s agricultural resources by restricting certain foreign entities from acquiring interests in agricultural lands.

Contention

Notably, the bill incorporates provisions for establishing an Office of Agricultural Intelligence within the Department of Agriculture, tasked with enforcement and investigation of potential violations concerning foreign ownership. However, there may be points of contention related to the definitions of 'prohibited foreign parties' and the enforcement mechanisms proposed, including the penalties involved for violations, which could be regarded as overly punitive by some stakeholders. Critics may argue that the bill could inadvertently discourage beneficial investment opportunities or impact local economies that rely on foreign partnerships.