RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES.

Agriculture Budget

Active

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

Sponsor: ILAGAN, GRANDINETTI, ICHIYAMA, IWAMOTO, KAHALOA, KAPELA, KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY, KILA, KUSCH, LOWEN, MARTEN, MATSUMOTO, OLDS, PERRUSO, POEPOE, QUINLAN, SOUZA, TAKAYAMA, TAKENOUCHI
Last action: 2026-04-06
Official status: The committee on WAM deferred the measure.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify when the funds will be available or when the study must be completed.

Funding Study on Queensland Longhorn Beetle

This bill provides $138,443 to the University of Hawaii to study methods to reduce the population of the Queensland Longhorn Beetle.

What This Bill Does

Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii to conduct a study on effective treatment methods to reduce populations of the Queensland Longhorn Beetle.

Who It Names or Affects

University of Hawaii researchers who will conduct the study.

Terms To Know

Invasive Species: A plant, animal, or other organism that is not native to an area but causes harm when it spreads there.
Queensland Longhorn Beetle: An invasive beetle species found in Hawaii that damages trees and plants important for agriculture and culture.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill only funds a study and does not provide methods to control the beetle.
It is unclear how long it will take for the University of Hawaii to complete the study.
The effectiveness of any treatment methods found by the study remains unknown.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment allocates money from the state budget to fund a study by the University of Hawaii aimed at finding ways to reduce the population of Queensland longhorn beetles.

Allocates funds for the University of Hawaii to conduct research on methods to control the Queensland longhorn beetle population.

The exact amount of money allocated is not specified in the amendment text.
The effective date listed (July 1, 3000) seems incorrect and likely contains an error.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: This amendment allocates money from the state budget to fund a study by the University of Hawaii aimed at finding ways to reduce the population of Queensland longhorn beetles.

Allocates funds for the University of Hawaii to conduct research on methods to control the Queensland longhorn beetle population.

The exact amount of funding is not specified in the amendment text.
The study's start date and duration are unclear from the provided information.

Bill History

2026-04-06 S
The committee on WAM deferred the measure.
2026-04-01 S
The committee(s) on WAM deferred the measure until 04-06-26 10:31AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-03-30 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-01-26 10:03AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-03-23 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-03-23 S
Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3134) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-03-17 S
The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kidani, Fukunaga.
2026-03-12 S
The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 03-16-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
2026-03-10 S
Referred to EDU, WAM.
2026-03-06 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-06 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 83).
2026-03-05 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-05 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 782-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-02-25 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, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-23 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Wednesday, 02-25-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-19 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and none excused (0).
2026-02-19 H
Reported from HED (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 477-26), recommending referral to FIN.
2026-02-13 H
The committee on HED recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Garrett, Amato, Evslin, Kapela, La Chica, Olds, Woodson, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Kila.
2026-02-11 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HED on Friday, 02-13-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-11 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on HED with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Holt excused (1).
2026-02-11 H
Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 170-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to HED.
2026-02-06 H
The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Chun, Kusch, Kahaloa, Perruso, Quinlan, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Lowen.
2026-02-03 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by AGR on Friday, 02-06-26 9:01AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-30 H
Referred to AGR, HED, FIN, referral sheet 5
2026-01-28 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-26 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES.
UH; Invasive Species; Queensland Longhorn Beetle; Study; Appropriation ($)
Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii to conduct a study on effective treatment methods to reduce populations of the Queensland Longhorn Beetle. Effective 7/31/2055. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2139

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2139

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to invasive species
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that the
Acalolepta
aesthetica
, or Queensland longhorn beetle, is native to Australia, was
initially found in Hawaii in 2009, and was first associated with a local plant
in 2014 when it was found on an
ʻ
ulu
in Puna.
�
Since then, the Queensland
longhorn beetle's known host range has expanded to nearly twenty known host
species in the State and has spread across east Hawaii Island, now found as far
north as Honoka
ʻ
a.

����
The legislature further finds that
the Queensland longhorn beetle targets many agriculturally important plants
such as
ʻ
ulu,
cacao, avocado, and citrus, and culturally significant trees like kukui.
�
The adult beetles lay their eggs on the trunk
of the tree, and the larvae hatch and bore into the tree to remain for several
months, causing significant damage as they grow and bore through.
�
The beetles then complete their life cycle by
pupating within the tree and emerging as an adult, leaving a penny-sized exit
hole in the tree, which in many cases kills the tree.

����
The legislature believes that if
populations of the Queensland longhorn beetle are left unchecked, the beetles
will spread statewide and cause significant losses in crops, the extinction of
native species, and the destruction of native forests.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act
is to appropriate funds to the university of Hawaii to conduct a study on
effective treatment methods to reduce populations of the Queensland longhorn
beetle.

����
SECTION
2.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $138,443 or so much thereof
as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the university of Hawaii to
conduct a study on effective treatment methods to reduce populations of the
Queensland longhorn beetle.

����
The sum
appropriated shall be expended by the university of Hawaii for the purposes of
this Act.

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

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

University of Hawaii
; Invasive Species; Queensland Longhorn Beetle; Study; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates
funds to the
University of Hawaii
to conduct a study on effective treatment methods to reduce
populations of the Queensland Longhorn Beetle.

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