SB 3252 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO CLIMATE PLANNING.

Summary

Amends the leadership, membership, powers, and duties of the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission. Establishes the powers and duties of the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission Coordinator. Beginning after 12/31/2026, requires all department and agency plans and decisions to consider recommendations made by the Commission and Coordinator. Appropriates funds for positions and other expenses. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 28, 2026 Last action Mar 19, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB3252_SD1 → SB3252_SD2 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill revision shifts the focus from criticizing the commission's lack of progress to explicitly blaming structural conflicts of interest among the co-chairs. It adds a new definition for the 'Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission Coordinator' and expands the commission's required reporting duties to include specific updates on other states' climate strategies and departmental performance reviews. The changes aim to restructure leadership to resolve these conflicts and ensure the commission can effectively fulfill its statutory obligations.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include specific mandates for the commission to report on comparative state strategies and detailed departmental performance plans, in addition to the existing requirement for general progress updates.

DEFINITION

Added a new definition for the 'Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission Coordinator' to lead the commission.

REQUIREMENT

Modified the commission's reporting requirements to explicitly include updates on top-performing states and detailed departmental plans for meeting climate targets.

Added findings that attribute the commission's failure to perform duties to inherent conflicts of interest among the co-chairs.

Changed the stated purpose of the act to include restructuring leadership to eliminate conflicts of interest.

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

Mar 19, 2026

Committee

Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1219-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to WAL.

lower

Mar 17, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Chun, Kahaloa, Kusch, Quinlan, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to EEP, WAL, FIN, referral sheet 17

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 392) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 3 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Mar 3, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.

upper

Feb 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-25-26 10:56AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from WLA/AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2624) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WLA were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Inouye, Chang, Lamosao; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) DeCorte; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 11, 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, Richards, DeCoite, Rhoads; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WLA/AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-11-26 1:00PM; CR 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 2, 2026

Committee

Referred to WLA/AEN, WAM.

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors