HB 1278 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO HAZARDOUS TREE REMOVAL.

HB 1278 appropriates state funds for assessing and removing hazardous trees on Hawaii's state lands. It directly affects state property managers and public safety officials responsible for maintaining these areas. The bill's key provision is authorizing financial resources specifically for tree hazard evaluation and removal operations. The law becomes effective on July 1, 3000, as stated in the official abstract.

Issues: ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2026

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 22, 2025 Last action Feb 2, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB1278_HD1 → HB1278_HD2 · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was renumbered from HD 1 to HD 2 and updated with new metadata dates. The core funding provision was modified to remove specific dollar amounts for Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii Island, replacing them with blank fields. This change shifts the allocation from fixed amounts to an unspecified distribution, requiring further legislative action to define the funding levels for each island.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding funding distribution changed from specific fixed amounts per island to an unspecified allocation, leaving the exact funding levels for each island undefined.

FISCAL

Specific dollar amounts for hazardous tree removal on Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii Island were deleted and replaced with blank fields, removing the fixed budget allocation.

TECHNICAL

The bill identifier was updated from H.D. 1 to H.D. 2, and associated metadata dates were changed.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 2, 2026

Committee

Re-Referred to WLA, WAM.

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WTL deleted the measure from the public hearing scheduled on 03-19-25 1:45PM; CR 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WTL will hold a public decision making on 03-19-25 1:45PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WTL has scheduled a public hearing on 03-14-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to WTL, WAM.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 348).

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Feb 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Alcos, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Hussey, Ward.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Committee

Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 356) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Lamosao, Belatti, Iwamoto, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ichiyama.

lower

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Referred to WAL, FIN, referral sheet 4

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 22, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

14 primary · 1 co-sponsor