HB1087 • 2026

RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS.

Budget

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: NAKAMURA (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action: 2026-03-30
Official status: Re-Referred to HWN/WLA, JDC/WAM.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how review documents are stored or shared, only that they must be provided to other departments.

Historic Preservation Reviews for Hawaiian Home Lands

This bill allows the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to review projects that might affect historic properties on its lands, except for certain special cases.

What This Bill Does

Gives the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) the power to check if proposed projects will harm historic places or burial sites on DHHL land.
Requires DHHL to use a specially trained officer to do these reviews.
Ensures that all review documents are shared with other departments and stored in a digital system.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
People proposing projects on DHHL land

Terms To Know

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL): A government agency that manages lands for Native Hawaiians.
Hawaii Register of Historic Places: A list of places in Hawaii that are considered important to the state's history and culture.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much money will be given for these reviews.
It is unclear what happens if a project affects both DHHL land and properties listed on special historic registers.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: The amendment allows the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to review projects on its lands for their impact on historic properties and burial sites without needing prior consultation with another department.

Removes the requirement for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to consult with the Department of Land and Natural Resources before reviewing proposed projects' effects on historic properties or burial sites.
Establishes that the review must be conducted by a designated preservation officer who has expertise in historic preservation.
Requires the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to notify the Department of Land and Natural Resources about its review process and provide copies of all relevant documents.

The amendment text is incomplete, particularly at the end, which limits a full understanding of the changes made.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: This amendment allows the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to review the impact of proposed projects on historic properties and burial sites without needing prior consultation with another department, under certain conditions.

Removes the requirement for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to consult with the Department of Land and Natural Resources before reviewing the effect of a project on historic property or burial site.
Adds new requirements for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to designate a preservation officer, ensure documentation is provided to the department, notify about reviews, and consult with island burial councils when necessary.

The amendment specifies an effective date far in the future (July 1, 3000), which may be intended as a placeholder or for specific legal reasons not explained here.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands can now conduct its own reviews of proposed projects' impacts on historic properties and burial sites instead of consulting with other departments beforehand.
Funds are appropriated to create four full-time equivalent positions: a historic preservation specialist, an archaeologist, an architectural historian, and a cultural historian.

The exact details about the circumstances under which the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands cannot conduct its own reviews remain unclear from the provided text.
Technical language regarding professional qualifications for new positions may be difficult to understand without additional context.

Bill History

2026-03-30 S
Re-Referred to HWN/WLA, JDC/WAM.
2026-03-30 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.
2026-03-30 S
Reported from HWN/WLA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3373) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
2026-03-24 S
The committee(s) on HWN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HWN were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Richards, Lamosao, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Ihara, Keohokalole.
2026-03-24 S
The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WLA were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Inouye, Chang, Lamosao, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-03-21 S
The committee(s) on HWN/WLA has scheduled a public hearing on 03-24-26 1:01PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2026-02-02 S
Re-Referred to HWN/WLA, JDC.
2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-03-06 S
Referred to HWN/WTL, JDC.
2025-03-06 S
Passed First Reading.
2025-03-06 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 325).
2025-03-04 H
Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Muraoka voting no (1) and Representative(s) Pierick, Ward excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.
2025-02-28 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-04-25.
2025-02-28 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1095) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
2025-02-27 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.
2025-02-25 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 02-27-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-14 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).
2025-02-14 H
Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 712) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2025-02-13 H
The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Lamosao, Belatti, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Morikawa, Souza; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Poepoe, Woodson.
2025-02-10 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Thursday, 02-13-25 9:30AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-23 H
Referred to WAL, JHA, referral sheet 3
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-21 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS.
DHHL; Historic Preservation; Project Reviews; Appropriation ($)
Allows the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to assume historic preservation review of the effect of any proposed project for lands under its jurisdiction, except under certain circumstances. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2026. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1087

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1087

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that section 6E-8,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, plays an important role in the protection and
management of the State's historic properties and burial sites.
�
Section 6E-8(b) requires the department of
Hawaiian home lands, prior to any proposed project relating to lands under its
jurisdiction, to consult with the department of land and natural resources
regarding the effect of the project upon historic property or a burial
site.
�
The purpose of this Act is to
allow the department of Hawaiian home lands to review the effect of any
proposed project on historic properties or burial sites for lands under its
jurisdiction.

����
Section
2.
�
Section 6E-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended

by
amending subsection (b) to read
as follows:

����
"(b)
�

[
The
]
Notwithstanding subsection (a), the
department of
Hawaiian home lands[
, prior to
]
may review the effect of
any
proposed project relating to lands under its jurisdiction[
, shall consult
with the department regarding the effect of the project
] upon historic
property or a burial site[
.
]
, subject to this chapter and to any
administrative rule adopted thereunder; provided that the department of
Hawaiian home lands shall:

����
(1)
�
Designate the review to a Hawaiian
home lands preservation officer who has professional competence and experience
in the field of historic preservation and who has received a written delegation
of authority to review the effect of department of Hawaiian home land projects
on historic property or a burial site from the state historic preservation
officer;

����
(2)
�
Ensure that copies of all reports,
maps, and documents, including those reflecting the Hawaiian home lands
preservation official's comments, recommendations, and decisions, are provided
to the department to be incorporated into the historic preservation digital
document management system and library; and

����
(3)
�
Notify the department that the
department of Hawaiian home lands will be reviewing the effect when initiating
review and provide the department with a copy of the written concurrence or
nonconcurrence at the end of the review.

The
department shall retain authority for review under this section for projects
affecting properties listed or nominated for inclusion in the Hawaii register
of historic places or the national register of historic places.
"

����
SECTION
3.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION
4.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its
approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

BY REQUEST

Report Title:

Historic
Preservation; DHHL; Project Reviews

Description:

Allows
the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to assume historic preservation review of
the effect of any proposed project for lands under its jurisdiction except for
projects affecting properties listed or nominated for inclusion in the Hawaii
register of historic places or the national register of historic places.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.