HB470 • 2026

RELATING TO NOISE.

Active

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

Sponsor: LEE, M.
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation includes details about fines and exemptions which are partially supported by the official bill text.

Rules to Reduce Noise Pollution

This bill aims to reduce noise pollution by prohibiting the sale of leaf blowers, string trimmers, and weed whackers that are rated louder than sixty-five decibels (dBA) when measured from fifty feet away starting July 1, 2028, and increasing fines for violations.

What This Bill Does

Prohibits the sale of leaf blowers, string trimmers, or weed whackers that do not meet the ANSI B-175.2 class 1 rating beginning July 1, 2028.
Increases fines for violating restrictions on using loud equipment like leaf blowers and string trimmers.
Prohibits government entities from purchasing leaf blowers, string trimmers, or weed whackers that do not meet the ANSI B-175.2 class 1 rating beginning July 1, 2028.

Who It Names or Affects

Manufacturers of leaf blowers, string trimmers, and weed whackers
Retail stores selling these products
Government agencies purchasing such equipment

Terms To Know

ANSI B-175.2 class 1 rating: A standard that measures how quiet a leaf blower, string trimmer, or weed whacker is.
Decibels (dB): A unit used to measure the loudness of sound.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what will happen if someone sells a prohibited item before July 1, 2028.
It is unclear how strictly manufacturers and retailers will follow these new rules starting in 2028.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment increases fines for violating leaf blower, string trimmer, and weed whacker restrictions, removes government entity exemptions from these restrictions, and bans the sale of loud equipment starting July 1, 2028.

Increases fines for violations: $100 for first violation, $250 for second, and $500 for each subsequent violation.
Removes government entity exemptions from restrictions on leaf blowers, string trimmers, and weed whackers.
Prohibits the sale of leaf blowers, string trimmers, or weed whackers rated over 65 decibels by their manufacturers starting July 1, 2028.

The effective date for this Act is listed as July 1, 3000 in the amendment text, which seems incorrect and may need clarification or correction.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: This amendment would prohibit the sale of leaf blowers, string trimmers, and weed whackers that do not meet a specific noise standard starting July 1, 2028, increase fines for violations, and prevent government entities from purchasing such equipment.

Prohibits the sale of leaf blowers, string trimmers, and weed whackers that do not meet ANSI B-175.2 class 1 rating starting July 1, 2028.
Increases fines for violations of restrictions on these devices from $50 to up to $500 depending on the number of violations.
Prohibits government entities from purchasing leaf blowers, string trimmers, and weed whackers that do not meet ANSI B-175.2 class 1 rating starting July 1, 2028.

The amendment text does not provide details on how the ANSI B-175.2 class 1 rating will be enforced or verified.
It is unclear what specific penalties government entities would face for non-compliance with the new restrictions.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-25 H
The committee(s) on JHA recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.
2025-02-21 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 02-25-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-12 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on JHA as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Reyes Oda, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Kong, Muraoka voting no (4) and Representative(s) Cochran, Sayama, Ward excused (3).
2025-02-12 H
Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 528) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to JHA.
2025-02-06 H
The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Lowen, Marten, Tam, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Kong; and Excused: none.
2025-02-04 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Thursday, 02-06-25 2:00PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-04 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Muraoka voting no (3) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kong, Ward excused (3).
2025-02-04 H
Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 96) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.
2025-01-28 H
The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Kahaloa, Kusch, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.
2025-01-24 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EEP on Tuesday, 01-28-25 9:00AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to EEP, CPC, JHA, referral sheet 2
2025-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-17 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO NOISE.
Noise; Noise Pollution; String Trimmers; Leaf Blowers; Weed Whackers; Sales Prohibition; Fines
Beginning 7/1/2028, prohibits the sale of any leaf blower, string trimmer, or weed whacker that does not meet the ANSI B-175.2 class 1 rating. Increases fines for violations of leaf blower, string trimmer, and weed whacker restrictions. Beginning 7/1/2028, prohibits government entities from purchasing leaf blowers, string trimmers, or weed whackers that do not meet the ANSI B-175.2 class 1 rating. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB470

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

470

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating
to noise
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that excessive
noise can be a pollutant that affects public health.
�
Noise can cause hearing loss; interfere with
human activities at home, at work, and in schools; and be injurious to people's
health and well-being in various ways.
�

Noise can further annoy, awaken, anger, and frustrate individuals.
�
The numerous effects of noise combine to
detract from the quality of life for residents of the State and its
environment.

����
The sound
emissions from leaf blowers and string trimmers are a nuisance and a concern
for the State's public health and welfare.
�

Some leaf blowers and string trimmers operate at approximately ninety
decibels, which can cause hearing damage after two hours of exposure.
�
According to the United States Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, noise intensity is a particularly troubling
issue for landscaping workers.

����
The
legislature further finds that there are viable, quieter alternatives to loud
leaf blowers and string trimmers.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to:

����
(1)
�
Increase penalties for violations of leaf
blower restrictions;

����
(2)
�
Repeal the exemption of government agencies
from leaf blower restrictions; and

����
(3)
�
Beginning July 1, 2028, prohibit the sale of
leaf blowers and string trimmers that are rated by their manufacturers at
greater than sixty-five weighted decibels (dBA) when measured at a distance of
fifty feet.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 342F-30.8, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended as follows:

����
1.
�
By amending its title to read:

����
"
�
342F-30.8
�
Leaf blowers;
string trimmers;
weed
whackers; restrictions."

����
2.
�
By amending subsections (b) and (c) to read:

����
"(b)
�
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.

����
(c)
�
[
Government entities, and agents acting on
behalf of government entities, shall not be subject to this section.
]
Beginning
July 1, 2028, it shall be unlawful for any person to sell a leaf blower, string
trimmer, or weed whacker rated by its manufacturer at greater than sixty-five
weighted decibels (dBA) when measured at a distance of fifty feet.
"

����
3.
�
By amending subsection (e) to read:

����
"
(e)
�
For
the
purposes of
this section:

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"Leaf
blower" means any machine used to blow leaves, dirt, or other debris off
sidewalks, driveways, lawns, and other surfaces.

����
"State
holiday" means any day established as a state holiday in section 8-1.

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"String
trimmer" means a garden tool that uses a flexible monofilament line to cut
grass, small weeds, and groundcover.

����
"Weed
whacker" means a gasoline or electric powered yard tool that uses either a
flexible monofilament line (also known as a string
trimmer
or line
trimmer) or revolving metal cutting blade intended to cut or trim grass and
other vegetation.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act does not affect rights and duties
that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun
before its effective date.

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

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SECTION 5.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Noise;
Noise Pollution; String Trimmers; Leaf Blowers; Weed Whackers; Sales
Prohibition; Fines

Description:

Increases
fines for violations of leaf blower, string trimmer, and weed whacker
restrictions.
�
Repeals the exemptions for
government entities and their agents from these restrictions.
�
Beginning 7/1/2028, prohibits the sale of any
leaf blower, string trimmer, or weed whacker that is rated by its manufacturer
at greater than sixty-five dbA when measured at fifty feet.

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