SB 3154 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.

Summary

Authorizes the Department of Transportation to assume responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for highway projects, as well as railroad, public transportation, or multimodal projects within the State, allowing streamlined environmental reviews. Provides a limited waiver of sovereign immunity to comply with federal requirements. (CD1)

Issues: ✓ Transportation

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Jan 26, 2026 Signed May 26, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB3154_SD1 → SB3154_SD2 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the legislative metadata to reflect a new session and revised dates, while clarifying the specific department responsible for environmental reviews. The core policy change involves explicitly naming the 'department of transportation' in the statute to ensure clarity on who holds authority for federal environmental compliance and sovereign immunity waivers.

Scope change

The bill's scope was clarified by explicitly naming the 'department of transportation' instead of using the generic term 'the department' in the statutory text, ensuring precise legal accountability.

TECHNICAL

Updated bill metadata including sponsor name, session number, and effective dates to reflect the current legislative session.

DEFINITION

Changed references from the generic 'department' to the specific 'department of transportation' throughout the statute to define clear legal authority.

REQUIREMENT

Clarified that the department of transportation may assume responsibilities for National Environmental Policy Act duties and related federal environmental laws.

ENFORCEMENT

Refined the sovereign immunity waiver language to explicitly link it to the department of transportation's assumed responsibilities under the new environmental review program.

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

Amendments

May 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Cochran, Iwamoto voting no (2) and none excused (0).

lower

May 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Fukunaga).

upper

Apr 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 23-26) as amended in (CD 1).

lower

Apr 29, 2026

Introduced

48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-01-26.

upper

Apr 29, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 23-26).

upper

Apr 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 3 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Lowen, Tarnas; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Muraoka.

lower

Apr 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Gabbard, Rhoads, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Apr 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-24-26 9:30AM; CR 329.

upper

Apr 16, 2026

Amended

Senate disagrees with House amendments.

upper

Apr 16, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 756).

upper

Apr 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia, Poepoe voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Iwamoto voting no (1) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Apr 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Hashem, Kahaloa, Takayama, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Cochran; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Sayama.

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).

lower

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1437-26), recommending referral to JHA.

lower

Mar 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Chun, Kusch, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Quinlan.

lower

Mar 19, 2026

Committee

Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1229-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to EEP.

lower

Mar 17, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Miyake, Cochran, Evslin, Grandinetti, Kitagawa, La Chica, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to TRN, EEP, JHA, referral sheet 17

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 372) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Mar 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-05-26 10:01AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 18, 2026

Committee

Reported from TRS/AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2323) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.

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: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, Richards, DeCoite, Rhoads, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on TRS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in TRS were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Kanuha, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Elefante, Lee, C..

upper

Feb 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on TRS/AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-13-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 2, 2026

Committee

Referred to TRS/AEN, JDC.

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

Jan 26, 2026

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors