Environment

signed · Hawaii · Senate Jul 10, 2026

SB 3253: RELATING TO CONSERVATION.

Recognizes the Hawaii Conservation Sanctuary as a nonprofit entity established pursuant to Senate Resolution 94, Senate Draft 1, Regular Session of 2026, to protect and expand populations of endangered species and other wildlife in the State. (CD1)

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentEstablishes Hawaii Conservation Sanctuary to support conservation, wildlife preservation, and ancillary programs with DLNR, directly advancing environmental protection.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

signed · Hawaii · House Jul 9, 2026

HB 1802: RELATING TO CONSERVATION MITIGATION BANKS.

Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources and certain public or private entities to seek the approval of the Board of Land and Natural Resources to operate conservation banks for situations where a person or entity is required to provide compensatory mitigation to offset adverse impacts to threatened, endangered, candidate, or proposed species as part of an approved incidental take license and habitat conservation plan. Adds the associate director of the United States Geological Survey, Ecosystem Mission Area, to the membership of the Endangered Species Recovery Committee. Requires the Endangered Species Recovery Committee to review applications and proposals for conservation banks and conservation bank instruments conduct subsequent reviews and oversight. (CD1)

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentAuthorizes DLNR to establish conservation mitigation banks for habitat restoration/preservation, directly advancing environmental protection through compensatory mitigation for ecological damages.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

signed · Hawaii · House Jul 9, 2026

HB 2218: RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES.

Authorizes the Board of Land and Natural Resources to enter into community co-management agreements and establishes qualifications for eligible community co-managers. Authorizes the disposition of public lands by a community co-management agreement. (CD1)

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentAuthorizes community co-management of public lands for sustainable resource stewardship, aligning with conservation goals under DLNR management.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

signed · Hawaii · Senate Jun 26, 2026

SB 2101: RELATING TO ORGANIC WASTE.

Updates and establishes additional statewide goals for solid waste stream and organic waste stream diversion. Requires the recycling, bioconversion, and organic waste diversion component to identify and assess methods to achieve certain organic waste stream reduction goals. (CD1)

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentEstablishes organic waste reduction goals, mandates county plans, and funds diversion to reduce landfill methane emissions and promote sustainability.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

signed · Hawaii · Senate Jun 24, 2026

SB 2983: RELATING TO NATURAL RESOURCES.

SB 2983 makes damaging or destroying trees on state or county property a misdemeanor offense. It directly affects individuals who intentionally harm trees in public spaces like parks, roadsides, or government land. The bill establishes a new criminal penalty for this action, treating it as a misdemeanor rather than a civil violation. This changes the legal consequence for tree destruction on public land, creating a clear criminal pathway for enforcement.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill criminalizes tree destruction on public land, strengthening conservation enforcement and protecting natural resources as direct environmental protection.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

signed · Hawaii · Senate Jun 5, 2026

SB 2756: RELATING TO CONSERVATION ENFORCEMENT.

Appropriates funds for equipment for the Hawaii Island Branch of the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement of the Department of Land and Natural Resources. (CD1)

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentFunds equipment for conservation enforcement branch, directly supporting environmental protection efforts through resource allocation.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

signed · Hawaii · House May 29, 2026

HB 2395: RELATING TO THE TAKING OF MARINE DEPOSITS.

Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources to issue permits for research, education, management, or propagation purposes that include the taking of marine deposits seaward of the shoreline, as long as the resources will be returned to the beach if possible and that the taking poses no more than a minimal or negligible risk to the environment. (CD1)

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRequires returning marine deposits and posing no environmental risk, ensuring protection of coastal resources through permit conditions.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

passed both · Hawaii · Senate May 22, 2026

SCR 79: ENCOURAGING THE UNITED STATES NAVY TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ERADICATION OF OCTOCORAL AND OTHER INVASIVE SPECIES FROM THE WATERS OF PEARL HARBOR, INCLUDING WEST LOCH, MIDDLE LOCH, AND EAST LOCH.

This bill encourages the United States Navy to take responsibility for removing octocoral and other invasive species from Pearl Harbor waters, including West Loch, Middle Loch, and East Loch. It urges the Navy to allocate resources to eradicate these invasive organisms, which grow rapidly and harm local marine ecosystems by reducing fish diversity, and to maintain and secure the harbor shoreline. The resolution is a formal request rather than a mandatory law, asking the Navy to address these environmental concerns as the principal caretaker of Pearl Harbor.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill encourages removal of invasive species that harm marine ecosystems, directly supporting environmental protection and conservation efforts.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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passed · Hawaii · Senate May 22, 2026

SR 81: ENCOURAGING THE UNITED STATES NAVY TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ERADICATION OF OCTOCORAL AND OTHER INVASIVE SPECIES FROM THE WATERS OF PEARL HARBOR, INCLUDING WEST LOCH, MIDDLE LOCH, AND EAST LOCH.

This Senate Resolution encourages the United States Navy to take responsibility for removing invasive octocoral and other non-native species from the waters of Pearl Harbor, including West Loch, Middle Loch, and East Loch. The bill highlights that octocoral spreads rapidly and harms local marine ecosystems by reducing fish diversity, noting that the Navy has already detected these species in the area. It urges the Navy to allocate resources for both eradicating invasive species and maintaining the shoreline, with a certified copy of the resolution to be sent to the Secretary of the Navy. As a non-binding resolution, it expresses the state's preference rather than imposing mandatory requirements.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill promotes removal of invasive species that harm marine ecosystems, directly supporting environmental protection and conservation efforts.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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passed · Hawaii · Senate May 12, 2026

SR 159: REQUESTING THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TO CONVENE A DEMOLITION WASTE REDUCTION WORKING GROUP.

This Senate Resolution requests the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to form a working group focused on reducing construction and demolition waste in Hawaii. The group will bring together representatives from government agencies, private industries, and community organizations to develop strategies for increasing material reuse and supporting a circular construction economy. Members will include leaders from construction, demolition, real estate, and waste management sectors, along with community groups focused on environmental justice and workforce development. The working group is tasked with identifying solutions to reduce landfill dependency, creating policy recommendations, and submitting annual reports to the Legislature with any proposed legislation.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill establishes working group to reduce demolition waste, promoting material reuse and circular economy, directly supporting environmental protection and waste reduction goals.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Environment

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