SB 2336 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO TREES.

Summary

Requires State departments, offices, and agencies to ensure and enforce that all arborists and other professionals in its employ, including contractors, who manage trees or lands that will impact public trees adhere to best management practices. Effective 7/1/2525. (SD1)

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Feb 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 15, 2026 Last action Feb 19, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB2336 → SB2336_SD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was renumbered and reclassified from an HB template to an SD (Senate) template, shifting the sponsor from Raymond Nichols to Gregory LaMontagne. Substantively, the bill's scope was narrowed by removing 'political subdivisions' from the list of entities required to enforce tree care standards, applying the mandate only to state departments, offices, and agencies. The effective date was changed from immediate approval to July 1, 2525, and the description was updated to reflect these scope and timeline adjustments.

Scope change

The bill's applicability was reduced by removing the requirement for political subdivisions (such as counties or municipalities) to enforce tree care standards; the mandate now applies only to state departments, offices, and agencies.

SCOPE

Removed 'political subdivision' from the list of entities required to enforce tree care best management practices, limiting the mandate to state departments, offices, and agencies.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from 'upon approval' to 'July 1, 2525', significantly delaying the implementation of the new requirements.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill title and sponsor information to reflect the transition from an House of Representatives draft to a Senate draft.

DEFINITION

Adjusted the text describing the obligation of professionals to remove a comma after 'diseases', slightly altering the sentence structure regarding who must perform work meeting industry standards.

Floor votes

How they voted

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

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.

upper

Feb 19, 2026

Committee

Reported from GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2410) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in GVO were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) McKelvey, Gabbard, Moriwaki, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Hashimoto.

upper

Jan 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on GVO has scheduled a public hearing on 02-03-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 26, 2026

Committee

Referred to GVO, WAM.

upper

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 15, 2026

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

5 primary · 1 co-sponsor