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HB30
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.B. NO.
30
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating
to gasoline-powered leaf blowers
.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
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SECTION
1.
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The legislature finds that dozens of
cities and towns in the United States and the District of Columbia and State of
California have banned gasoline-powered leaf blowers due to their harmful
impacts on health and the environment.
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The
legislature also finds that noise can be a pollutant that affects the public
health.
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Noise can cause hearing loss;
can interfere with human activities at home, work, and in schools; and can in
various ways be injurious to people's health and well-being.
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Noise also annoys, awakens, angers, and
frustrates many people.
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The numerous
effects of noise combine to detract from the quality of life for people and the
environment.
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The sound
emissions from gasoline-powered leaf blowers are a great concern for the
State's public health and welfare.
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Gasoline-powered leaf blowers operate at approximately ninety decibels,
which can cause hearing damage after two hours of exposure.
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According to the United States Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, noise intensity is a particularly troubling
issue for landscaping workers.
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The
legislature further finds that there are viable, quieter alternatives to
gasoline-powered leaf blowers, such as battery-powered leaf blowers.
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Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to ban the use of gasoline-powered leaf blowers in
any urban land use district.
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SECTION
2
.
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Section 342f-30.8, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended to read as follows:
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"
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342F-30.8
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Leaf blowers; weed whackers; restrictions[
.
]
on non-gasoline-powered leaf blowers; prohibition of gasoline-powered leaf
blowers.
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(a)
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In any urban land use district, as
designated pursuant to section 205-2, it
shall be unlawful for any
person to operate a
non-gasoline-powered
leaf blower or weed whacker
within a residential zone or within one hundred feet of a residential zone in
the State, except between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on any day
except Sunday or a state or federal holiday, and between the hours of 9:00 a.m.
and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday or any state or federal holiday; provided that
government entities, and agents acting on behalf of government entities, may
use weed whackers during the prohibited hours in the case of an emergency as
defined in section 127A-2.
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(b)
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In any urban land use district, as designated
pursuant to section 205-2, it shall be unlawful for any person to operate a
gasoline-powered leaf blower at any time.
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[
(b)
]
(c)
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Violators shall be fined [
$50
]
$100
for the first violation, [
$100
]
$250
for the second
violation, [
$200 for the third violation,
] and $500 for each subsequent
violation[
.
]
; provided that upon the third violation of subsection
(b), the gasoline-powered leaf blower used to commit that violation shall be
subject to forfeiture.
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[
(c)
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Government entities, and agents acting on
behalf of government entities, shall not be subject to this section as it
applies to leaf blowers.
]
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(d)
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Any county may adopt a rule or ordinance that
places stricter limitations on the use of leaf blowers or weed whackers than
are in this section.
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In case of a
conflict between the requirements or limitations of this section and any county
rule or ordinance regarding the use of leaf blowers or weed whackers, the more
restrictive requirements shall apply.
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(e)
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For
the
purposes of this section:
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"Gasoline-powered
leaf blower" means any leaf blower that is powered by a two-stroke
internal combustion engine.
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"Leaf
blower" means any machine used to blow leaves, dirt, or other debris off
sidewalks, driveways, lawns, and other surfaces.
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"State
holiday" means any day established as a state holiday in section 8-1.
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"Weed
whacker" means a gasoline or electric powered yard tool that uses either a
flexible monofilament line (also known as a string or line trimmer) or
revolving metal cutting blade intended to cut or trim grass and other
vegetation."
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SECTION 3.
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This Act does not affect rights and duties
that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun
before its effective date.
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SECTION
4.
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Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
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New statutory
material is underscored.
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SECTION 5.
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This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
INTRODUCED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title:
Gasoline-powered Leaf Blowers; Prohibition; Fines;
Government Agency Exemption; Repeal
Description:
Prohibits the operation of gasoline-powered leaf blowers
in any urban land use district.
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Applies
the existing time-of-use restrictions on leaf blowers to non-gasoline-powered
leaf blowers.
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Increases the fines for
offenses of leaf blower restrictions and provides for the forfeiture of
gasoline-powered leaf blowers upon a third violation.
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Removes the exemption on leaf blower
restrictions for government agencies.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.