HR 143 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO ASSESS ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSERVATION INITIATIVES NEEDED TO TRANSITION VOLCANO, HAWAII, INTO A BIOSPHERE AREA THAT PROMOTES ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND COMMUNITY WELL-BEING AND COMPLEMENTS THE NEIGHBORING HAWAIIAN ISLANDS BIOSPHERE RESERVE.

HR 143 is a House Resolution requesting the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources to form a working group to assess how Volcano, Hawaii, can transition into a UNESCO biosphere reserve. The resolution addresses current environmental challenges in Volcano, including invasive species, Rapid Ohia Death, and forest degradation, aiming to align the area with the neighboring Hawaiian Islands Biosphere Reserve. The working group must develop strategies for native forest stewardship, community engagement, monitoring systems, and conservation planning to promote environmental sustainability and community well-being. This procedural resolution does not create new laws but directs state agencies to study the feasibility of this designation.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Sub-Topics: Forestry

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 7, 2025 Last action Apr 3, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HR143 → HR143_HD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was simplified from a detailed House Resolution into a shorter, more focused document. The extensive list of working group members was removed, replaced with only the State Representative from House District 5 as the chair. The final recipient of the report was changed from the Legislature and County Council to just the President of the Volcano Community Association. These changes streamline the process and narrow the scope of oversight.

Scope change

The scope was narrowed by removing the requirement for a large, diverse working group and reducing the number of reporting recipients.

REQUIREMENT

Removed a detailed list of 19 specific individuals and organizations required to serve on the working group, reducing it to only the State Representative from House District 5 as chair.

Removed the requirement to submit the final report to the Legislature and Hawaii County Council, changing it to only the President of the Volcano Community Association.

Simplified the document structure by removing page numbers, metadata, and formatting codes, making it a cleaner, more readable resolution.

Floor votes · House Apr 3, 2025

How they voted

48–0

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 50

Apr 3, 2025

D Democratic41

40 Yea 1

97% Yea

R Republican9

8 Yea 1

88% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Resolution adopted in final form.

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Adopted as amended in HD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Woodson excused (2).

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1892) as amended in HD 1, recommending adoption.

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Kahaloa, Kusch; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Quinlan.

lower

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to EEP, referral sheet 25

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Committee

Referred to WAL/EEP, referral sheet 22

lower

Mar 7, 2025

Introduced

Offered

lower

4 primary · 0 co-sponsors