HB 661 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.

Summary

Permits, under certain circumstances, a previously permitted or authorized activity challenged as being subject to environmental review to continue while the applicable agency or applicant conducts an environmental assessment, prepares an environmental impact statement, or determines whether the activity is exempt. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Issues: ✗ Environment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2026

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Feb 2, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB661_HD1 → HB661_HD2 · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was updated from the House of Representatives (HD1) to the Senate (HD2), primarily changing the bill number and version identifier. The core policy text regarding environmental review exemptions for previously permitted activities remains substantively identical, though the formatting and line breaks were adjusted to fit the Senate document template.

Scope change

The scope of the bill's policy remains unchanged; it continues to allow previously permitted activities to continue while undergoing environmental review, with no new exemptions or restrictions added.

TECHNICAL

The bill number was updated from HB661 HD1 to HB661 HD2 to reflect its progression to the Senate chamber.

Line breaks and paragraph spacing were adjusted to conform to the Senate document formatting standards, but the legal text content did not change.

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/AEN, JDC.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to WTL/AEN, JDC.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 266).

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Hussey, Iwamoto, Shimizu, Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato, Belatti, Grandinetti, Holt, Kahaloa, Kila, Marten, Perruso, Poepoe voting no (9) 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, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Hashem, Takayama, Todd, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Belatti, Kahaloa, Shimizu; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Poepoe, Perruso; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

lower

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Reported from EEP/WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 607) 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: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Lamosao, Ichiyama, Morikawa; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Belatti, Shimizu, Souza; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Iwamoto, Poepoe; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Woodson.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Kahaloa, Kusch, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Perruso; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to EEP/WAL, JHA, referral sheet 2

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors