A pilot program to fight agriculture-related crimes in Hawaii will go into effect July 1 on the Big Island and Oahu.
The program within the state Department of Law Enforcement is intended to strengthen laws relating to agriculture theft — including cattle rustling — plus trespassing and hunting without permission on private ag land.
The new law — one of five ag measures signed into law today by Gov. Josh Green — is being called “Duke’s law.” It was Senate Bill 1249, which was introduced by Sen. Tim Richards, a Waimea Democrat and vice chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Environment Committee.
The law’s name is in honor of Cranston “Duke” Pia, a 39-year-old Makaha, Oahu, rancher who was — in Richards’ words — “executed in front of his mother” for protecting his cattle from hunting dogs on Feb. 17, 2024.
Pia died of a single gunshot wound to the head.
Chantston Pila Kekawa, then 17, of Maili, Oahu, was charged as an adult with second-degree murder, first-degree terroristic threatening, firearms offenses and first-degree theft. He pleaded not guilty and has a trial scheduled for Aug. 18 in Honolulu Circuit Court.
“SB 1249 is about protecting our farmers and ranchers while honoring the memory of Duke Pia,” Richards said today. “Duke was a young rancher who was tragically shot and killed while confronting trespassers on his land.
“This law strengthens enforcement, increases penalties, and gives us the tools to fight rural crime. It’s about justice, safety and preserving the future of agriculture in Hawaii.”
The law funds, within DLE, a full-time assistant chief position; two full-time investigator positions, one on the Big Island, the other on Oahu; and six full-time agricultural patrol officers, three for the Big Island and three for Oahu.
The new law doesn’t contain the stand-your-ground component that would allow a farmer or rancher, under certain circumstances, to exercise deadly force without retreating that was in another bill Richards introduced. That bill, HB 1248, the original Duke Pia bill, died without a hearing from the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The new law appropriates $949,856 for each of the next two fiscal years to fund the pilot program.
Other agriculture and food-related bills signed into law today by Green include:
— HB 534, which prohibits the sale of any raw processed ahi tuna by retail establishments without a label that states the country where the ahi was landed.
The bill claims that the majority of raw processed ahi sold in Hawaii retail establishments as poke is “foreign-sourced, previously frozen, gas treated and imported in pre-cut cubes” and generally cheaper for retailers.
It also states that local consumers of poke are “subjected to misleading advertisements and in-store terminology such as ‘prepared fresh,’ ‘freshly made’ and ‘locally made,’ while the ahi used to prepare the poke is foreign-sourced, previously frozen, gas treated and imported in pre-cut cubes.”
“Due to a loophole in federal labeling laws, retailers are not required to disclose the origin of these products, leading many consumers to falsely assume they are purchasing fresh, locally caught tuna,” wrote Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa, a Kona Democrat, the majority caucus leader and former Agriculture and Food Systems chairwoman, in a committee report. “By ensuring transparency in seafood labeling, this measure empowers consumers to make informed choices, supports Hawaii’s fishing industry, and protects the integrity of the state’s premium seafood market.”
The law, which goes into effect July 1, 2026, was introduced by Rep. Tyson Miyake, a Maui Democrat and majority whip, with Kahaloa and fellow Big Island Reps. Nicole Lowen and David Tarnas signing on as co-sponsors.
According to Eric Kingma, executive director of the Hawaii Longline Association, the local market for fresh ahi poke sold at retail largely has been replaced by foreign-caught, gas-treated tuna imported from Vietnam, the Philippines, China, Indonesia and other countries. He added the new law “should help Hawaii’s commercial tuna fishermen statewide.”
“This bill will hopefully drive consumer demand for more fresh Hawaii-landed ahi poke at retail because they will see that the previously frozen, gas-treated tuna is not from Hawaii,” Kingma said.
— HB 774, which which goes into effect July 1, relates to value-added products and establishes a food and product innovation network within the Agribusiness Development Corporation. It also appropriates $385,289 for each of the next two fiscal years for two full-time positions, plus operating expenses.
The development of this network is intended to facilitate the responsible use of labels such as “Hawaii made,” “Made in Hawaii,” “Produced in Hawaii” and “Processed in Hawaii,” and aid businesses in promoting their products locally and internationally.
Kahaloa, who introduced the legislation, called it “transformative for Hawaii’s farmers and food entrepreneurs — empowering them to innovate, grow and proudly share their unique products with the world.”
Green said the network will provide “access to facilities, equipment, certification resources — things that make a difference.”
“Honestly, I believe people are more than ready to buy agricultural products from the state of Hawaii,” Green said.
— HB 496 prohibits certain words and images on packaging of mamaki tea suggesting the tea is a Hawaii agricultural product unless 100% of the tea or dried leaves were cultivated, harvested and dried in Hawaii. The law, which goes into effect July 1, also appropriates $65,000 for each of the next two fiscal years for a full-time measurement standards inspector.
The bill was introduced by Kahaloa, with fellow Big Island Reps. Lowen, Jeanne Kapela and Sue Keohokapu-Lee Loy among the co-signers.
The measure was formerly on Green’s intent to veto list.
— and HB 427 renames the state Department of Agriculture the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, and the Board of Agriculture the Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity. The legislation, introduced by Kahaloa, also transfers the Hawaii Invasive Species Council from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the newly named department.
In addition, the measure establishes a position of deputy chair for biosecurity to oversee all biosecurity initiatives within the department.
The department, with the governor’s approval, may declare a biosecurity emergency in response to an outbreak of a pest or resistant organism that poses an economic or environmental threat.
According to the governor’s office, the state budget allocates the highest level of funding ever for biosecurity — $26.6 million appropriated over the next two fiscal years to support positions and related expenses.
“With the increasing frequency of natural disasters and growing biosecurity threats, safeguarding our resources and environment is a top priority for my administration,” said Green. “Prevention and forethought will fortify our state, and by signing HB 427, we are keeping top of mind the ways in which we can stay in the driver’s seat — actively leading the effort to protect our agriculture and our islands.”