Requesting The Department Of Law Enforcement To Expand The Agricultural Enforcement Pilot Program To The Islands Of Kauai And Maui.
Summary
SR119 is a Senate Resolution requesting the Department of Law Enforcement to expand Hawaii’s Agricultural Enforcement Pilot Program to the islands of Kauai and Maui. The resolution states that agricultural crimes such as trespassing, theft, vandalism, and illegal hunting are harming farmers, disrupting local economies, and threatening food security and the sustainability of the state’s agricultural sector.
The measure references Act 235, Session Laws of Hawaii 2025, which created the pilot program for Hawaii Island and Oahu, and asks that the program be broadened to provide a more comprehensive response to agricultural crime. As a resolution, SR119 does not itself change statutory law or create new penalties, but it formally urges the Department of Law Enforcement to extend the existing enforcement effort to additional islands and sends the request to agency leadership.
Impact
SR119 would not directly amend Hawaii statutes or impose new legal requirements; instead, it expresses the Senate’s request that the Department of Law Enforcement expand an existing pilot program. Its practical impact would be to encourage broader agricultural crime enforcement coverage on Kauai and Maui, potentially increasing attention to trespass, theft, vandalism, and illegal hunting affecting agricultural lands and producers. Any actual expansion would depend on agency action and available resources under the framework established by Act 235 (2025).
Sentiment
The resolution appears strongly supportive of agricultural enforcement and protective of farmers and agricultural lands. The bill text frames the issue as an urgent public-safety and economic concern, emphasizing food security, repeat offenses, and gaps in enforcement. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no additional evidence of opposition or divided sentiment in the available record.
Contention
The main policy issue underlying SR119 is whether the Department of Law Enforcement should extend limited enforcement resources to additional islands. Supporters of the resolution are likely to include agricultural interests, farmers, and communities affected by rural crime, while any hesitation would likely center on resource allocation, staffing, and whether the pilot program should be expanded before evaluating results from Hawaii Island and Oahu. Because the measure is a resolution rather than a bill, the contention is more about administrative priorities than legal authority.
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