Establishes green infrastructure objectives, policies, and priority guidelines for state facility systems, infrastructure, and transit projects in the Hawaii State Planning Act to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors. Adds a definition of "green infrastructure". Requires the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to submit a report to the Legislature making recommendations for implementing green infrastructure objectives, policies, and priority guidelines.
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)
Requires certain government entities in the State that issue building permits to establish a self-certification process for behind-the-meter, customer-sited solar distributed energy resource systems that deems permit applications approved and allows applicants to proceed to build solar distributed energy resource system immediately. Requires certain government entities in the State that issue building permits to develop guidance for determining specific conditions when a Federal Emergency Management Agency-mandated No-Rise Certification is not required for a solar distributed energy resource system located in a regulatory floodway. Effective 4/19/2042. (SD1)
SB 391 establishes a working group to develop a management plan for end-of-life lithium-ion batteries (used in devices like phones and electric vehicles), directly affecting battery recyclers, manufacturers, and waste management entities. The working group will create a report for the Legislature by January 2026, outlining strategies for safe collection, recycling, and disposal of these batteries. The bill does not impose new regulations but sets up a process to address growing battery waste challenges. It is currently pending committee review and has not yet become law. The effective date (1/1/2026) applies to the report submission, not the bill's implementation.
Beginning 7/1/2025, prohibits the construction, modification, or expansion of a landfill unit or any component of a landfill unit mauka of the underground injection control line without first establishing a buffer zone of not less than one-quarter mile around the landfill unit. Prohibits the utilization of fly ash, bottom ash, or a combination of fly and bottom ash from a municipal waste combustor, including any ash residue that remains after removal of metals for recycling into new metal products, for the purposes of road building, construction, or as alternative daily cover material on a landfill. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD2)
Requires the Department of Agriculture to use consistent units of measurement in its summary to the public on the amounts of restricted use pesticides applied. Establishes a one-half mile buffer zone for pesticides around schools during normal school hours and state and county public parks. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)
SB 617 requires state agencies to hold a public hearing in any community directly affected by a proposed project before finalizing its draft environmental impact statement. This applies to projects like construction, land development, or infrastructure that would impact local neighborhoods, businesses, or natural areas. The bill mandates these hearings to ensure affected residents and stakeholders can voice concerns directly to decision-makers during the early review phase. It does not change environmental standards but adds a community input step to the existing review process.
Requires the Department of Accounting and General Services and Department of Transportation to develop a plan for a Comprehensive Transportation Demand Management Program to reduce vehicle emissions and miles traveled by single-occupancy vehicles. Establishes two permanent full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) co-administrator positions, one in the Department of Accounting and General Services and one in the Department of Transportation. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 1/1/2491. (SD1)
Appropriates funds to the Agribusiness Development Corporation to acquire a conservation easement on agricultural lands in Central Oahu. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Requires at least fifty per cent of treatment works effluent to be R-1 recycled water by January 1, 2045. Requires each county to report to the Department of Health by 1/1/2027 on the feasibility of recycling treatment works effluent that meets certain standards. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
