HB2395 • 2026

RELATING TO THE TAKING OF MARINE DEPOSITS.

Education

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: KITAGAWA, MARTEN, MATAYOSHI, SHIMIZU, SOUZA, TAKAYAMA, TAM, TARNAS, TEMPLO
Last action: 2026-05-07
Official status: Transmitted to Governor.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation includes a claim about 'breeding new life forms' that was not supported by the official source material.

Rules for Taking Marine Deposits

This bill allows the Department of Land and Natural Resources to issue permits for taking marine deposits like sand, coral rubble, rocks, soil, etc., from state waters for research, education, management, or propagation purposes if it poses no risk to the environment.

What This Bill Does

Allows the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to give permits for taking marine materials like sand, dead coral, rocks, soil, etc., for scientific studies, teaching, managing resources, or breeding new life forms.
Requires that any taken materials must be returned to the beach if possible and should not harm the environment.
Adds a new rule in Hawaii Revised Statutes allowing DLNR to issue permits under specific conditions.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Land and Natural Resources
People or organizations requesting permits for marine deposits

Terms To Know

marine deposits: Materials found in the ocean like sand, coral rubble, rocks, soil, etc.
propagation purposes: Activities aimed at breeding or growing new life forms

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if materials cannot be returned to the beach.
It is unclear how DLNR will decide which permit requests are approved.

Amendments

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

CD1

Hawaii published version CD1

Plain English: HB2395 CD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB2395 CD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
2395 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII S.D.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: HB2395 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB2395 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
2395 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE TAKING OF MARINE DEPOSITS .

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: HB2395 HD2 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB2395 HD2 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
2395 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE TAKING OF MARINE DEPOSITS .

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: HB2395 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB2395 SD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
2395 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII S.D.

Bill History

2026-05-08 S
Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).
2026-05-07 H
Transmitted to Governor.
2026-05-06 H
Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).
2026-05-06 H
Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-05-06 S
Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-29 S
48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26
2026-04-29 S
Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 87-26).
2026-04-29 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday 05-06-26.
2026-04-29 H
Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 87-26) as amended in (CD 1).
2026-04-29 S
The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Moriwaki, Rhoads; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-29 H
The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Tarnas, Morikawa, Cochran; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-28 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-29-26 9:00AM; Conference Room 229.
2026-04-27 S
Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-28-26 9:00AM; CR 229.
2026-04-24 S
Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-27-26 9:00AM; CR 229.
2026-04-21 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 717).
2026-04-21 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Lee, C. Chairs; Moriwaki, Rhoads Co-Chairs.
2026-04-20 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 786).
2026-04-20 H
House Conferees Appointed: Hashem, Tarnas, Morikawa Co-Chairs; Cochran.
2026-04-20 H
Re-referred to WAL, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 30
2026-04-17 S
Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 780).
2026-04-16 H
House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
2026-04-14 H
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 687) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-04-14 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-04-10 S
One Day Notice 04-14-26.
2026-04-10 S
Reported from WAM/JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3731) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-04-08 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-08 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Fevella ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-04-06 S
The committee(s) on WAM/JDC will hold a public decision making on 04-08-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-03-30 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM/JDC.
2026-03-30 S
Reported from WLA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3255) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM/JDC.
2026-03-23 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.
2026-03-20 S
The committee(s) on WLA has scheduled a public hearing on 03-23-26 1:05PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2026-03-12 S
Referred to WLA, WAM/JDC.
2026-03-12 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-12 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 409).
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 JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1186-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-04 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, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Cochran.
2026-02-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Wednesday, 03-04-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-18 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 none excused (0).
2026-02-18 H
Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 460-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2026-02-12 H
The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Morikawa, Belatti, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-10 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Thursday, 02-12-26 9:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-02 H
Referred to WAL, JHA, referral sheet 6
2026-01-28 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-27 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE TAKING OF MARINE DEPOSITS.
DLNR; Taking of Marine Deposits; Permits; Approvals
Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources to issue permits for research, education, management, or propagation purposes that include the taking of marine deposits seaward of the shoreline, as long as the resources will be returned to the beach if possible and that the taking poses no more than a minimal or negligible risk to the environment. (CD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2395

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2395

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to the taking of marine deposits
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that the
department of land and natural resources regularly receives requests for
permits that involve the taking of sand, dead coral or coral rubble,
rocks, soil,
or other marine deposits from state
waters for research, education, management
, or
propagation
purposes.
�
However, existing
law does not authorize the department to approve these permit requests.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to allow for the taking of sand, dead coral or coral
rubble, rocks, soil, or other marine deposits seaward from the shoreline for
research, education, management, or propagation purposes when authorized by
permits issued by the department of land and natural resources; provided that
the resources will be returned to the beach if possible and pose no risk to the
environment.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 171-58.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
�171-58.5
�

Prohibitions.
�
The mining or
taking of sand, dead coral or coral rubble, rocks, soil, or other marine
deposits seaward from the shoreline is prohibited with the following
exceptions:

����
(1)
�
The inadvertent taking from seaward of the
shoreline of these materials, such as those inadvertently carried away on the
body, and on clothes, toys, recreational equipment, and bags;

����
(2)
�
For the replenishment or protection of public
shoreline areas and adjacent public lands seaward of the shoreline, or
construction or maintenance of state approved lagoons, harbors, launching
ramps, or navigational channels with a permit authorized under chapter 183C;

����
(3)
�
The clearing of these materials from existing
drainage pipes and canals and from the mouths of streams including clearing for
the purposes under section 46-11.5; provided that the sand removed shall be
placed on adjacent areas unless this placement would result in significant
turbidity;

����
(4)
�
The cleaning of areas seaward of the shoreline
for state or county maintenance purposes including the purposes under section
46-12; provided that the sand removed shall be placed on adjacent areas unless
the placement would result in significant turbidity;

����
(5)
�
The taking of these materials for research,
education, management, or propagation purposes when authorized by a permit
issued by the department; provided that the resources will be returned to the beach
if possible and pose no risk to the environment;

���
[
(5)
]

(6)
�

The exercise of traditional cultural practices as authorized by law or
as permitted by the department pursuant to article XII, section 7, of the
Hawaii State Constitution; or

���
[
(6)
]

(7)
�

For the response to a public emergency or a state or local disaster."

����
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:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DLNR; Taking of
Marine Deposits; Permits; Approvals

Description:

Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources to
approve permits for research, education, management
, or propagation
purposes
that include the taking of marine deposits seaward of the shoreline, as long as
the resources will be returned to the beach and pose no risk to the environment.

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