SB 456 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO BED BUGS.

SB 456 requires landlords to keep rental properties free of bed bugs throughout a tenant's lease. This directly affects renters, who gain a right to pest-free housing, and landlords, who must maintain this standard. The bill mandates ongoing prevention and treatment, not just initial inspections, ensuring units remain infestation-free during tenancy. It does not specify penalties or funding mechanisms, focusing solely on the landlord's duty to maintain habitable conditions.

Issues: ✓ Housing

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB456 → SB456_SD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was converted from a Senate bill (SB) to a Senate Draft (SD), updating metadata and dates. The core policy shifted from prohibiting landlords from renting infested units to establishing bed bugs as a violation of the implied warranty of habitability, requiring landlords to ensure premises are free of bed bugs at all times. The specific procedural steps for inspection and remediation were removed, replaced by a general duty to maintain habitability.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a specific set of landlord duties regarding bed bugs to a broader obligation under the implied warranty of habitability, effectively treating bed bugs as a fundamental breach of the lease agreement similar to other health and safety violations.

REQUIREMENT

Replaced specific inspection and remediation timelines with a general requirement for landlords to ensure premises are free of bed bugs at all times during the tenancy.

Removed the specific rule regarding cost-sharing between landlords and tenants based on the timing of infestation discovery.

DEFINITION

Changed the legal characterization of bed bugs from a public health pest requiring specific procedures to a violation of the implied warranty of habitability.

TECHNICAL

Updated bill metadata, including changing the bill type from SB to SD and updating revision numbers and dates.

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 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 10, 2025

Committee

Reported from HOU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 133) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to CPN.

upper

Jan 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HOU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HOU were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Chang, Hashimoto, Kanuha, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Aquino.

upper

Jan 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HOU has scheduled a public hearing on 01-30-25 1:10PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to HOU, CPN.

upper

Jan 16, 2025

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor