HB 511 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO PUBLIC LANDS.

Summary

Provides that a survey of the land to be set aside shall not be a condition precedent to the setting aside of public lands to any department or agency of the State. (CD1)

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Signed May 27, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB511_HD1 → HB511_SD1 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Hawaii's public land set-aside process to remove the requirement for a formal survey before land can be designated for state agencies, allowing faster transfers using GIS data instead. It introduces risk-based survey requirements, creates a digital registry for tracking land transfers, and establishes a mediation process to resolve boundary disputes without litigation. The changes aim to streamline public land management while maintaining oversight through the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of land management by allowing agencies to use GIS data for approximate boundaries and creates new requirements for high-risk lands versus low-risk lands, while maintaining the Board's oversight authority.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the requirement that a formal survey must be completed before public lands can be set aside for state agencies, allowing the use of GIS data and existing maps for initial designation.

Added risk-based survey requirements where high-risk lands (conservation areas, lands near private property) require surveys, while low-risk lands may be exempted if sufficient documentation exists.

ENFORCEMENT

Created a new digital registry requirement for tracking all public land transfers, maps, survey records, and historical descriptions.

Established a mandatory mediation process for resolving boundary disputes before any legal action can be taken.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from July 1, 3000 to July 1, 2025, making the new provisions immediately applicable.

DEFINITION

Added new definitions for high-risk and low-risk lands to guide survey requirements and risk assessments.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 8, 2025

How they voted

23–2

Passed

Total votes 25

Apr 8, 2025

D Democratic22

22 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican3

1 Yea 2 Nay

66% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick excused (2).

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 1 (Senator(s) Awa). Excused, 0 (none).

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Introduced

48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 04-30-25

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 50).

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 50) as amended in (CD 1).

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Gabbard; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) McKelvey ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.

upper

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Tarnas, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Apr 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Wednesday 04-23-25 10:00AM in conference room 229.

lower

Apr 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Monday, 04-21-25 10:00AM in conference room 229.

lower

Apr 10, 2025

Amended

House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Introduced

Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 652) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 2 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Mar 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Chang; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) San Buenaventura ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Gabbard.

upper

Mar 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-28-25 10:02AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Reported from WTL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1295) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.

upper

Mar 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WTL recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WTL were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Elefante, Chang, McKelvey; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) DeCorte; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WTL has scheduled a public hearing on 03-20-25 12:30PM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Committee

Re-Referred to WTL, JDC.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to WTL/GVO, JDC.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 251).

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Pierick, Ward excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 595) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Lamosao, Belatti, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to WAL, JHA, referral sheet 2

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

3 primary · 0 co-sponsors