SB126 requires the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, working with the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, to study the effects of neonicotinoids on Hawaii beehive and apiary operations. The study must look at the benefits and disadvantages of neonicotinoid use, whether trace analysis can detect these chemicals in hives, apiaries, and bee-related food products, the concentration levels of neonicotinoids and related compounds, and any observed impacts on beekeeping operations, including those at solar energy facilities.
The bill also requires the Department of Agriculture to report its findings and science-based recommendations to the Legislature before the 2026 regular session, including recommendations on how neonicotinoids should be used and regulated in the state and any proposed legislation. To carry out the study, the bill appropriates general funds for fiscal year 2025-2026, with the amount left blank in the introduced text.
Impact
SB126 would not immediately ban or regulate neonicotinoids, but it would create a formal state study and reporting requirement that could inform future pesticide policy in Hawaii. It directs the Department of Agriculture and UH CTAHR to gather scientific evidence on pesticide presence and effects in beehives, apiaries, and related products, and it authorizes an appropriation to fund that work. The bill could affect beekeepers, agricultural pesticide users, solar facility operators that host apiaries, and any future legislation governing neonicotinoid use in the state.
Sentiment
The bill appears generally precautionary and research-oriented, with a focus on gathering science-based information before making regulatory decisions. The absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials limits the ability to measure direct support or opposition, but the measure’s study-and-report approach suggests an effort to balance agricultural and environmental concerns rather than impose immediate restrictions.
Contention
The main policy tension is between the potential benefits of neonicotinoids in agricultural or pest-control applications and concerns about their impacts on bees, apiaries, and bee-related food products. Possible points of contention include whether the state should move toward regulation based on suspected harm versus waiting for more evidence, how broad the study should be, and whether public funds should be used for the research. Stakeholders likely to care include beekeepers, agricultural producers, pesticide users, environmental advocates, and solar facility operators with beekeeping activity.