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Hawaii · 2026 Regular Session · Bill

SB 659: RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

Passed one chamber Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

SB 659 is a bill introduced in the Hawaii Senate on January 17, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. Primary sponsor: Mike Gabbard (Democratic), Stanley Chang (Democratic). It lists 1 additional sponsor. Most recent recorded action (December 8, 2025): Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Official summary

Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.

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)

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 3

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Mike GabbardPrimary sponsorDemocraticSenate21
Stanley ChangPrimary sponsorDemocraticSenate9
Glenn WakaiCo-sponsorDemocraticSenate15

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
  2. Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1406), recommending referral to FIN.
  3. 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).
  4. 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.
  5. Bill scheduled to be heard by AGR on Wednesday, 03-19-25 9:30AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
  6. Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1190) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to AGR.
  7. 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).
  8. 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.
  9. Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Tuesday, 03-11-25 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
  10. Pass First Reading
  11. Referred to EDN, AGR, FIN, referral sheet 19
  12. 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.

Showing 12 most recent of 25 actions. Full history

Sources

  1. Open States / Plural (data from the official legislature website)
  2. Official legislature source