HB2473 • 2026

RELATING TO THE RECOGNITION OF A HAWAIIAN SENSE OF PLACE.

Labor

Active

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

Sponsor: NAKAMURA (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action: 2026-02-20
Official status: Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO THE RECOGNITION OF A HAWAIIAN SENSE OF PLACE.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO THE RECOGNITION OF A HAWAIIAN SENSE OF PLACE.
OPSD; Hawaii State Planning Act; Hawaiian Sense of Place Recognition Act Establishes the Hawaiian Sense of Place Recognition Act.
Requires the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to develop educational and outreach programs to promote understanding of the Hawaiian sense of place among residents, visitors, and public employees.
Requires state agencies to incorporate Hawaiian sense of place principles into land planning, management, and state construction projects.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: HB2473 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB2473 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
2473 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE RECOGNITION OF A HAWAIIAN SENSE OF PLACE .

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: HB2473 HD2 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB2473 HD2 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
2473 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE RECOGNITION OF A HAWAIIAN SENSE OF PLACE .

Bill History

2026-02-20 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
2026-02-20 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 750-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.
2026-02-18 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Kahaloa, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Cochran, Garcia; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Shimizu; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Hashem, Sayama.
2026-02-13 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Wednesday, 02-18-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-12 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).
2026-02-12 H
Reported from ECD/LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 251-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2026-02-11 H
The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela, Kong; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Reyes Oda.
2026-02-11 H
The committee on ECD recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Ilagan, Hussey, Tam, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Holt.
2026-02-06 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by ECD/LAB on Wednesday, 02-11-26 9:30AM in House conference room 423 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-02 H
Referred to ECD/LAB, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 6
2026-01-28 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-27 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE RECOGNITION OF A HAWAIIAN SENSE OF PLACE.
OPSD; Hawaii State Planning Act; Hawaiian Sense of Place Recognition Act
Establishes the Hawaiian Sense of Place Recognition Act. Requires the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to develop educational and outreach programs to promote understanding of the Hawaiian sense of place among residents, visitors, and public employees. Requires state agencies to incorporate Hawaiian sense of place principles into land planning, management, and state construction projects. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2473

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2473

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to the recognition of a hawaiian sense of place
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
This Act shall be known as the
"Hawaiian Sense of Place Recognition Act".

����
SECTION
2.
�
Chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by adding a new part to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

"
Part .
�
Hawaiian sense of place recognition

����
�
226-
�
Definitions.
�

As used in this part:

����
"Hawaiian
sense of place" means the cultural, spiritual, environmental, and social
relationships that Native Hawaiians and residents of Hawaii maintain with land,
water, and natural and built environments.
�
This concept includes, but is not limited to
the following elements:

����
(1)
�
Connection to
ʻ
aina.
�
Recognition of land as a living entity that
sustains and nurtures the community, embodying ancestral knowledge, history,
and genealogy;

����
(2)
�
Cultural practices.
�
Integration and perpetuation of traditional
practices, including hula, oli (chant), festivals, and other cultural
expressions that reinforce relationships between people and place;

����
(3)
�
Spiritual significance.
�
Acknowledgment of sacred sites, traditional
cultural properties, and places of historical and mythological importance,
contributing to individual and community identity;

����
(4)
�
Community and family relationships.
�
Recognition of the role of
ʻ
ohana, community
networks, and intergenerational ties in shaping and sustaining place-based
identity; and

����
(5)
�
Environmental stewardship.
�
Commitment to sustainability, biodiversity
protection, and traditional Hawaiian environmental practices that promote
long-term ecological balance.

����
�
226-
�
Promotion and education.
�
The office shall develop and implement
educational and outreach programs to promote understanding and appreciation of
the Hawaiian sense of place among residents, visitors, and public employees.
�
These programs shall include, but not be
limited to:

����
(1)
�
The cultural significance of
ʻ
aina and place-based
identity;

����
(2)
�
Traditional Hawaiian environmental and land
stewardship practices; and

����
(3)
�
The historical, cultural, and spiritual
narratives associated with specific places throughout the State.

����
�
226-
�
Land management, planning, and state
construction.
�
(a)
�
In the planning, management, and development
of land, state agencies shall incorporate the principles of the Hawaiian sense
of place.

����
(b)
�
All new construction, redevelopment, or major
capital improvement projects on state-owned lands shall be designed and
developed in alignment with the Hawaiian sense of place, including the consideration
of:

����
(1)
�
Architectural and landscape design that
reflects Hawaiian values, cultural context, and environmental conditions;

����
(2)
�
Integration of culturally and historically
significant sites and features;

����
(3)
�
Sustainable design practices consistent with
traditional Hawaiian environmental stewardship; and

����
(4)
�
Meaningful engagement with Native Hawaiian
practitioners, cultural experts, and affected communities during planning and
design phases.

����
(c)
�
State agencies shall ensure that community
input and cultural consultation are meaningfully incorporated to uphold
traditions and practices reflective of the Hawaiian sense of place."

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

OPSD;
Hawaii State Planning Act; Hawaiian Sense of Place Recognition Act

Description:

Establishes the Hawaiian Sense of Place Recognition
Act.
�
Requires the Office of Planning and
Sustainable Development to develop educational and outreach programs to promote
understanding of the Hawaiian sense of place among residents, visitors, and
public employees.
�
Requires state
agencies to incorporate Hawaiian sense of place principles into land planning,
management, and state construction projects.

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