SB 2478 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE I OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND PROTECT THE INHERENT AND INALIENABLE RIGHT OF ALL PEOPLE TO CLEAN WATER AND AIR, A HEALTHFUL ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE AND HEALTHY NATIVE ECOSYSTEMS AND BEACHES.

Summary

Proposes a constitutional amendment to ensure that the inherent and inalienable right of the people, including future generations, to clean water and air, a healthful environment and climate and healthy native ecosystems and beaches, shall be protected and shall not be infringed. Effective 7/1/2050. (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 22, 2026 Last action Feb 20, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB2478 → SB2478_SD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to change the sponsor from Raymond Nichols to Margaret McGary and updated the document versioning to reflect a Senate Draft 1. The most significant substantive change is the replacement of the standard constitutional amendment effective date with a fixed date of July 1, 2050. Minor formatting adjustments were also made to the header and metadata.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding the environmental rights amendment remains unchanged, but the timeline for its implementation has been explicitly set to July 1, 2050.

TIMELINE

The effective date for the proposed constitutional amendment was changed from the standard compliance date to a specific date of July 1, 2050.

TECHNICAL

The bill sponsor was updated from Raymond Nichols to Margaret McGary.

Document metadata, including revision numbers and template types, was updated to reflect the new Senate Draft 1 version.

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 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2498) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC/WAM.

upper

Feb 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on AEN has rescheduled its public hearing to 02-13-26 3:10PM; CR 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 8, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on AEN deleted the measure from the public hearing scheduled on 02-09-26 4:00PM; CR 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-09-26 4:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Committee

Referred to AEN, JDC/WAM.

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

4 primary · 0 co-sponsors