SB2802 appropriates $375,000 from state general revenues for fiscal year 2026-2027 to establish a bachelor’s degree program in agricultural science at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu. The funding is intended to support the new program, including one full-time equivalent staff position to administer and support it, as well as related supplies and equipment. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026.
The measure is grounded in legislative findings that agriculture’s diversification and long-term sustainability are important to Hawaiʻi’s future, and that a steady pipeline of trained workers is needed to support those goals. The legislature expressly identifies the new degree program as a matter of statewide concern under the Hawaiʻi Constitution, signaling that the program is intended to serve broader state workforce and agricultural development needs rather than only a single campus initiative.
Impact
The bill creates a new state-funded academic program at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu and directs the University of Hawaiʻi to spend the appropriation for program startup, staffing, and equipment. It does not amend existing statutes governing agriculture or higher education broadly, but it does add a specific appropriation and policy direction tied to university program development. Its practical effect is to expand higher-education offerings in agricultural science and potentially strengthen Hawaiʻi’s agricultural workforce pipeline.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support and little visible opposition. It passed the Senate Education Committee, Senate Ways and Means, and conference committees unanimously or near-unanimously, and it was ultimately enacted as Act 154. The committee history suggests a generally favorable view of the proposal as an investment in education and agricultural capacity.
Contention
No major points of contention are evident in the available record, and there are no committee transcript excerpts showing debate. The main policy question implicit in the bill is whether state funds should be used to launch a new degree program at UH West Oʻahu, but the unanimous votes indicate that any concerns about cost, program demand, or institutional priorities were not significant enough to generate recorded opposition. The appropriation amount and the inclusion of a dedicated FTE and equipment funding were likely the key implementation details considered.
Urging The University Of Hawaii President And Board Of Regents To Establish A Bachelor Of Science In Nursing Program At The University Of Hawaii Maui Campus.
Urging The University Of Hawaii President And Board Of Regents To Establish A Bachelor Of Science In Nursing Program At The University Of Hawaii Maui College.
Urging The University Of Hawaii President And Board Of Regents To Establish A Bachelor Of Science In Nursing Program At The University Of Hawaii Maui Campus.
Urging The University Of Hawaii President And Board Of Regents To Establish A Bachelor Of Science In Nursing Program At The University Of Hawaii Maui Campus.