HB1601 • 2026

RELATING TO BIOSECURITY.

Agriculture Budget

Active

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

Sponsor: CHUN, Kusch
Last action: 2026-03-30
Official status: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details about the exact amount of funding or the effective date, which was mentioned as July 1, 2050 in the official digest but seems to be an error since the bill is for fiscal year 2026-2027.

Changing Where Money Goes for Protecting Hawaii from Harmful Plants and Animals

This bill changes which department gets money to protect Hawaii from harmful plants and animals.

What This Bill Does

Amends the expending agency for a fiscal year 2026-2027 appropriation for the Hawaii Invasive Species Council from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Who It Names or Affects

The Hawaii Invasive Species Council
Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity
Department of Land and Natural Resources

Terms To Know

Hawaii Invasive Species Council: A group that works to stop harmful plants and animals from hurting Hawaii's environment.
Biosecurity: Steps taken to protect people, animals, and the environment from dangerous diseases or pests.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much money will be given.
It is unclear what specific changes this move might bring in terms of effectiveness or efficiency.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment changes the department responsible for spending $4,250,000 in state funds for the Hawaii Invasive Species Council from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Changes the expending agency for the fiscal year 2026-2027 appropriation for the Hawaii Invasive Species Council from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

The amendment specifies an effective date of July 1, 3000, which seems unusual and may be a typographical error or placeholder.
It is unclear why there is such a long delay in the implementation of this change.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: This amendment changes the department responsible for spending money to support the Hawaii Invasive Species Council from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Changes the agency that will spend $4,250,000 or part of it for fiscal year 2026-2027 from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

The amendment specifies an effective date of July 1, 3000, which seems unusual and may be a mistake or placeholder.
It is unclear why there is such a long delay in when this change would take effect.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: This amendment changes the department responsible for spending funds allocated to the Hawaii Invasive Species Council from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Changes the agency that will spend $4,250,000 in state money for fiscal year 2026-2027 from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

The amendment specifies a future effective date (July 1, 2050) which is unusually far in the future and may not be accurate or intended.
It's unclear why there would be such a long delay before this change takes effect.

Bill History

2026-03-30 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-03-30 S
Reported from AEN/WLA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3242) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-03-20 S
The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in AEN were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, DeCoite, Rhoads; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Richards, Awa.
2026-03-20 S
The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WLA were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Chang, Lamosao; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Inouye, DeCorte.
2026-03-17 S
The committee(s) on AEN/WLA has scheduled a public hearing on 03-20-26 1:03PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2026-03-12 S
Referred to AEN/WLA, WAM.
2026-03-12 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-12 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 249).
2026-03-10 H
Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Kong, Pierick excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-06 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-10-26.
2026-03-06 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1030-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-03 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 03-03-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-20 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
2026-02-20 H
Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 716-26), recommending referral to FIN.
2026-02-19 H
The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Morikawa, Belatti, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-17 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Thursday, 02-19-26 9:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-04 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on WAL with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Kitagawa excused (1).
2026-02-04 H
Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 4-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to WAL.
2026-01-30 H
The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Chun, Kusch, Kahaloa, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-01-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by AGR on Friday, 01-30-26 9:30AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-26 H
Referred to AGR, WAL, FIN, referral sheet 1
2026-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-16 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO BIOSECURITY.
DAB; DLNR; Hawaii Invasive Species Council Appropriation; Biosecurity; Expending Agency ($)
Amends the amount and expending agency for a fiscal year 2026-2027 appropriation for the Hawaii Invasive Species Council from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1601

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1601

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to biosecurity
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
Act 236, Session Laws of Hawaii 2025,
is amended by amending section 42 to read as follows:

����
"SECTION
42.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $4,250,000 or so much
thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the operations of the
Hawaii invasive species council.

����
The sum
appropriated shall be expended by the department of [
agriculture and
biosecurity
]
land and natural resources
for the purposes of this
Act."

����
SECTION
2.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DLNR; Hawaii
Invasive Species Council Appropriation; Biosecurity; Expending Agency

Description:

Amends
the expending agency for a fiscal year 2026-2027 appropriation for the Hawaii Invasive
Species Council from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to the Department
of Land and Natural Resources.

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