HB1650 • 2026

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS.

Land Taxes

Active

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

Sponsor: HASHEM
Last action: 2026-03-10
Official status: Referred to WLA, JDC.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details on how this change will impact environmental protections in the Waikiki area.

Environmental Assessments; Waikiki Special District

This bill removes the requirement for environmental assessments for proposed actions within the Waikiki special district.

What This Bill Does

Removes the need for an environmental assessment for any use within the Waikiki special district.

Who It Names or Affects

Developers proposing projects within the Waikiki special district.
Government agencies responsible for approving development proposals in the Waikiki area.

Terms To Know

Environmental Assessment: A study that looks at how a proposed project might affect the environment and what can be done to protect it.
Waikiki Special District: An area in Honolulu, Hawaii, with specific zoning rules for development.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill only affects proposed actions within the Waikiki special district and does not apply to other areas.
It is unclear how this change will impact environmental protections in the Waikiki area.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment removes the requirement for environmental assessments for proposed actions within the Waikiki special district.

Repeals the requirement that any use within the Waikiki special district must undergo an environmental assessment.

The amendment does not specify what will replace the environmental assessment requirements for the Waikiki special district, if anything.

Bill History

2026-03-10 S
Referred to WLA, JDC.
2026-03-06 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-06 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 31).
2026-03-05 H
Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Reyes Oda, Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato, Grandinetti, Iwamoto, Poepoe, Tam voting no (5) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-05 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 880-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-02-23 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Perruso, Alcos; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-19 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Monday, 02-23-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-17 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Tam voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lee, M., Poepoe excused (3).
2026-02-17 H
Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 340-26), recommending referral to FIN.
2026-02-10 H
The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Morikawa, Ichiyama, Woodson; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Belatti, Poepoe, Shimizu, Souza; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Iwamoto; and Excused: none.
2026-02-06 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Tuesday, 02-10-26 9:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-05 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on WAL with Representative(s) Tam voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Woodson excused (1).
2026-02-05 H
Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 29-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to WAL.
2026-02-03 H
The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Chun, Kahaloa, Kusch, Quinlan, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-01-30 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EEP on Tuesday, 02-03-26 9:30AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-26 H
Referred to EEP, WAL, FIN, referral sheet 1
2026-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-20 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS.
Environmental Assessments; Waikiki Special District
Removes proposed actions within the Waikiki special district from the requirement for environmental assessments under section 343-5, HRS. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1650

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1650

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that the city and
county of Honolulu has adopted ordinances and other requirements regarding the
permitting of development projects within special districts, including
Waikiki.
�
The legislature further finds it
unnecessary and redundant to require all proposals for any use within the
Waikiki special district to undergo an environmental assessment pursuant to
section 343-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to repeal the environmental assessment requirement for
proposals within:

����
(1)
�
A historic site as designated in the National
Register or Hawaii Register, as provided for in the Historic Preservation Act
of 1966, Public Law 89-665, or chapter 6E, Hawaii Revised Statutes; or

����
(2)
�
The Waikiki special district.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 343-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

����
"
(a)
�
Except as otherwise
provided, an environmental assessment shall be required for actions that:

����
(1)
�
Propose
the use of state or county lands or the use of state or county funds, other
than funds to be used for feasibility or planning studies for possible future
programs or projects that the agency has not approved, adopted, or funded, or
funds to be used for the acquisition of unimproved real property; provided that
the agency shall consider environmental factors and available alternatives in
its feasibility or planning studies; provided further that an environmental
assessment for proposed uses under section 205‑2(d)(11) or
205-4.5(a)(13) shall only be required pursuant to section 205-5(b);

����
(2)
�
Propose
any use within any land classified as a conservation district by the state land
use commission under chapter 205;

����
(3)
�
Propose
any use within a shoreline area as defined in section 205A-41;

���
[
(4)
�
Propose
any use within any historic site as designated in the National Register or
Hawaii Register, as provided for in the Historic Preservation Act of 1966,
Public Law 89-665, or chapter 6E;

����
(5)
�
Propose
any use within the Waikiki area of Oahu, the boundaries of which are delineated
in the land use ordinance as amended, establishing the "Waikiki Special
District";

����
(6)
]
(4)
�
Propose any amendments to existing county
general plans where the amendment would result in designations other than
agriculture, conservation, or preservation, except actions proposing any new
county general plan or amendments to any existing county general plan initiated
by a county;

���
[
(7)
]
(5)
�
Propose any reclassification of any land
classified as a conservation district by the state land use commission under
chapter 205;

���
[
(8)
]
(6)
�
Propose the construction of new or the
expansion or modification of existing helicopter facilities within the State,
that by way of their activities, may affect:

���������
(A)
�
Any
land classified as a conservation district by the state land use commission
under chapter 205;

���������
(B)
�
A
shoreline area as defined in section 205A-41; or

���������
(C)
�
Any
historic site as designated in the National Register or Hawaii Register, as
provided for in the Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Public Law 89-665, or
chapter 6E; or until the statewide historic places inventory is completed, any
historic site that is found by a field reconnaissance of the area affected by
the helicopter facility and is under consideration for placement on the
National Register or the Hawaii Register of Historic Places; and

���
[
(9)
]
(7)
�
Propose any:

���������
(A)
�
Wastewater
treatment unit, except an individual wastewater system or a wastewater
treatment unit serving fewer than fifty single-family dwellings or the
equivalent;

���������
(B)
�
Waste-to-energy
facility;

���������
(C)
�
Landfill;

���������
(D)
�
Oil
refinery; or

���������
(E)
�
Power-generating
facility."

����
SECTION
3.
�
This Act does not affect rights and
duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were
begun before its effective date.

����
SECTION
4.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 5.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Environmental
Assessments; Historic Sites; Waikiki

Description:

Removes
historic sites and the Waikiki special district from the requirement for
environmental assessments under section 343-5, HRS.

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