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HB2223 • 2026

RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS.

RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS.

Budget
Active

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

Sponsor
HOLT, EVSLIN, GRANDINETTI, HUSSEY, ILAGAN, KAHALOA, KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY, KILA, KUSCH, MATAYOSHI, MIYAKE, OLDS, TAKENOUCHI, TARNAS, TODD
Last action
2026-02-19
Official status
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Poepoe voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (3) and none excused (0).
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date of July 2, 3000, seems unusually far in the future and may need clarification.

Rules for Historic Preservation Reviews

This bill allows the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to review projects on its lands for their impact on historic properties and burial sites, and funds new positions to help with these reviews.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) to conduct its own reviews of proposed projects on DHHL land regarding historical properties and burial sites.
  • Requires DHHL to either designate a specialist or hire an outside consultant for these reviews.
  • Ensures that all review documents are shared with other departments and included in digital management systems.
  • Funds four new full-time positions: one historic preservation specialist, one archaeologist, one architectural historian, and one cultural historian.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
  • Historic properties and burial sites on DHHL lands

Terms To Know

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL)
A state agency that manages land for Native Hawaiians.
Historical Properties
Buildings, structures, objects, sites, or districts with historical significance.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the new positions will be integrated into existing workflows.
  • It is unclear what happens if DHHL's review conflicts with other departments' assessments.
  • The effective date of July 2, 3000, seems unusually far in the future and may need clarification.

Amendments

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

HD1

1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment allows the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to conduct its own reviews regarding the impact of proposed projects on historic properties and burial sites, instead of consulting with another department.

  • The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands can now review the effect of any proposed project on lands under its jurisdiction without needing to consult with the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
  • Funds are appropriated for hiring specialists to conduct these reviews.
  • The exact details of how the new review process will be implemented are not fully explained in the amendment text.
HD2

3

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: This amendment allows the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to conduct its own reviews of proposed projects' effects on historic properties and burial sites, instead of consulting with another department.

  • The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands can now review the impact of its projects on historic properties and burial sites without needing to consult other departments first.
  • Funds are appropriated for hiring specialists who will help conduct these reviews.
  • The exact details about how the new process will work, such as specific requirements or timelines, are not fully explained in this amendment text.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-19 H

    Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Poepoe voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (3) and none excused (0).

  2. 2026-02-19 H

    Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 584-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.

  3. 2026-02-12 H

    The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Cochran; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti.

  4. 2026-02-10 H

    Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 02-12-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  5. 2026-02-10 H

    Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Shimizu voting no (3) and none excused (0).

  6. 2026-02-09 H

    Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 99-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

  7. 2026-02-05 H

    The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Morikawa, Ichiyama, Poepoe, Woodson, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Shimizu; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto.

  8. 2026-02-02 H

    Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Thursday, 02-05-26 9:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  9. 2026-01-30 H

    Referred to WAL, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 5

  10. 2026-01-28 H

    Introduced and Pass First Reading.

  11. 2026-01-26 H

    Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS.
DHHL; Historic Preservation Review; Appropriation
Permits the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to conduct a review of the effect of a proposed project on lands under its jurisdiction on historical properties and burial sites, subject to certain requirements. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB2223

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2223

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

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 historic
preservation reviews play an important role in the protection and management of
the State's historic properties and burial sites.
�
The legislature further finds that under the
current process for historic preservation reviews, before the department of
Hawaiian home lands can commence any proposed project on lands under its
jurisdiction it must first consult with the department of land and natural
resources regarding the effect of the project on historic properties or burial
sites.

����
The purpose of this Act is to:

����
(1)
�
Permit the
department of Hawaiian home lands to conduct its own review of the effect of
any proposed project on lands under its jurisdiction on historic properties or
burial sites; and

����
(2)
�
Appropriate funds.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 6E-8,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (f) to read as
follows:

����
"
(f)
�
[
The
]
Notwithstanding
subsection (a), the
department of Hawaiian home lands[
,
before
commencing
]
may, subject to the
requirements of this chapter and any administrative rule adopted thereunder,
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[
.
]
; provided
that in conducting its review the department of Hawaiian home lands shall:

����
(1)
�
Either:

���������
(A)
�
Designate
the review to a Hawaiian home lands historic preservation specialist who has
professional competence and experience in the field of historic preservation;
has institutional knowledge of the department of Hawaiian home lands or the
state historical preservation division, or both; and who has received a written
delegation of authority to review the effect of department of Hawaiian home
lands projects on historic property or a burial site from the state historic
preservation officer, for the purposes of carrying out section 6E-43 or
6E-43.6, as appropriate; or

���������
(B)
�
Hire
or contract a fee for service consultant who has professional competence and
experience in the field of historic preservation;

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

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

����
(4)
�
Consult with
the appropriate island burial council on any projects impacting a previously
identified burial site or if a burial site is inadvertently discovered pursuant
to section 6E�43 or 6E-43.6, or both, as appropriate.

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.
�
There is appropriated out of the general
revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $400,000 or so much thereof as may
be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the establishment of the following
positions:

����
(1)
�
One full-time
equivalent (1.0 FTE) historic preservation specialist;

����
(2)
�
One full-time
equivalent (1.0 FTE) archaeologist who meets the state professional
qualifications for an archaeologist pursuant to section 13-281-3, Hawaii
Administrative Rules, and the Secretary of the Interior Professional
Qualifications Standards pursuant to section 112(a)(1)(A) of the Historic Preservation
Act of 1966, P. L. 89-665;

����
(3)
�
One full-time
equivalent (1.0 FTE) architectural historian who meets the state professional
qualifications for an architectural historian pursuant to section 13-281-5,
Hawaii Administrative Rules, and the Secretary of the Interior Professional
Qualifications Standards pursuant to section 112(a)(1)(A) of the Historic
Preservation Act of 1966, P. L. 89-665; and

����
(4)
�
One full-time
equivalent (1.0 FTE) cultural historian who meets the state professional
qualifications for an architectural historian pursuant to section 13-281-7,
Hawaii Administrative Rules, and the Secretary of the Interior Professional
Qualifications Standards pursuant to section 112(a)(1)(A) of the Historic
Preservation Act of 1966, P. L. 89-665.

����
The sum appropriated shall be
expended by the department of Hawaiian home lands for the purposes of this Act.

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

����
SECTION 5.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 2, 2026;
provided that the amendments made to section 6E-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by
section 2 of this Act shall not be repealed when that section is reenacted on
June 30, 2030, pursuant to section 7 of Act 306, Session Laws of Hawaii 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Department
of Hawaiian Home Lands; Historic Preservation Review; Appropriation

Description:

Permits
the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to conduct a review of the effect of a
proposed project on lands under its jurisdiction on historical properties and
burial sites, subject to certain requirements.
�
Appropriates funds.

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