RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES.

Budget

Active

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

Sponsor: POEPOE, AMATO, BELATTI, CHUN, GRANDINETTI, HOLT, ICHIYAMA, IWAMOTO, KAHALOA, KAPELA, KILA, KITAGAWA, KUSCH, LA CHICA, LAMOSAO, LOWEN, MARTEN, OLDS, PERRUSO, QUINLAN, SOUZA
Last action: 2026-04-17
Official status: Re-Referred to WLA, WAM.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not provide specific details about the tasks of the coordinator or the exact amount of funding allocated.

Funding for the Department of Land and Natural Resources to Support Makai Watch Program

This bill provides funding from the state budget to hire a full-time coordinator position within the Department of Land and Natural Resources to support the Makai Watch program.

What This Bill Does

Appropriates money for the establishment of one full-time equivalent permanent Makai Watch Coordinator position in the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Who It Names or Affects

Department of Land and Natural Resources

Terms To Know

Makai Watch Coordinator: A full-time job position within the Department of Land and Natural Resources to support the Makai Watch program.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much money will be provided for each fiscal year.
It is unclear what specific tasks the new coordinator will perform beyond coordinating activities.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment provides funding to create a full-time coordinator position within the Department of Land and Natural Resources to support the Makai Watch program.

Appropriates funds for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to establish one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent program specialist V position within the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

The effective date listed as July 1, 3000 is likely a placeholder or error and should be corrected in future versions.
Details about the exact amount of funding are not specified.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: This amendment provides funding to create full-time coordinator positions within the Department of Land and Natural Resources to support the Makai Watch program, which aims to protect nearshore marine resources.

Appropriates funds for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to establish full-time equivalent permanent coordinator positions within the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

The exact amount of funding appropriated is not specified in the amendment text.
The effective date listed (July 1, 3000) appears incorrect or symbolic and needs clarification.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Appropriates funds for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to establish full-time coordinator positions within the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Establishes a permanent statewide coordinator position to support the Makai Watch program.

The exact amount of funding appropriated is not specified in the amendment text.
The effective date mentioned (July 1, 2050) seems unusually far into the future and may be a typographical error or placeholder.

Bill History

2026-04-17 S
Re-Referred to WLA, WAM.
2026-04-02 S
Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
2026-04-01 H
House Conferee(s) discharged.
2026-03-20 H
Received notice of all Senate conferees being discharged (Sen. Com. No. 409).
2026-03-20 S
Senate Conferee(s) discharged.
2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-04-25 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday, 04-25-25 at 4:00PM in Conference Room 411.
2025-04-24 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 04-25-25 9:45AM in conference room 229.
2025-04-23 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Thursday 04-24-25 10:00AM in conference room 229.
2025-04-21 H
Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Wednesday 04-23-25 10:00AM in conference room 229.
2025-04-17 H
Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Monday, 04-21-25 10:00AM in conference room 229.
2025-04-15 H
Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 790).
2025-04-15 S
Senate Conferees Appointed: Inouye Chair; DeCoite Co-Chair; Elefante, DeCorte.
2025-04-15 S
Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 732).
2025-04-14 H
House Conferees Appointed: Hashem, Lamosao Co-Chairs; Poepoe, Shimizu.
2025-04-11 S
Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 704).
2025-04-10 H
House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).
2025-04-08 H
Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 594) in amended form (SD 1).
2025-04-08 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2025-04-04 S
48 Hrs. Notice 04-08-25.
2025-04-04 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1759) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 1).
2025-04-02 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-03-27 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-02-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2025-03-21 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to WAM.
2025-03-21 S
Reported from WTL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1210) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to WAM.
2025-03-14 S
The committee(s) on WTL recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WTL were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Elefante, Chang, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) McKelvey.
2025-03-10 S
The committee(s) on WTL has scheduled a public hearing on 03-14-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
2025-03-06 S
Referred to WTL, WAM.
2025-03-06 S
Passed First Reading.
2025-03-06 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 184).
2025-03-04 H
Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Muraoka voting no (1) and Representative(s) Pierick, Ward excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.
2025-02-28 H
Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-04-25.
2025-02-28 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1031) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
2025-02-24 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Alcos, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Hussey, Ward.
2025-02-21 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Monday, 02-24-25 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-11 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Muraoka, Pierick voting no (3) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2).
2025-02-11 H
Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 355) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2025-02-06 H
The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Lamosao, Belatti, Iwamoto, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ichiyama.
2025-02-04 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Thursday, 02-06-25 9:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to WAL, FIN, referral sheet 1
2025-01-16 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-13 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES.
DLNR; Makai Watch; Marine Resources; Appropriation ($)
Appropriates moneys to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the establishment of full-time equivalent permanent Makai Watch Coordinator positions. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB86

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

86

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating
to the Department of Land and Natural Resources
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that the
nearshore marine resources of the State are increasingly affected by both local
and global stressors, indicating that current state management measures may be
insufficient for ensuring long-term sustainability.

����
The
legislature further finds that the makai watch program was designed to enhance
collaboration and minimize conflicts among nearshore resource users.
�
Since its inception in the early 2000s, the
program has effectively connected community stewards with government agencies,
fostering positive relationships and meaningful engagement.
�
The outcomes of the program include
heightened awareness of relevant regulations and ecosystem conditions within
designated areas, along with improved collaboration among makai watch, the
department of land and natural resources' division of conservation and
resources enforcement, division of aquatic resources, division of boating and
ocean recreation, and the communities they serve.

����
The
legislature recognizes that makai watch continues to be a vital and expanding
resource for co-managing nearshore areas, ensuring these ecosystems remain
healthy and plentiful for both current and future generations of Hawaii.
�
Additionally, community enthusiasm for
enhanced co-managed stewardship is strong across many of Hawaii's coastal
communities, particularly among Native Hawaiian groups and organizations.
�
Therefore, the legislature finds that expanding
support for the makai watch program is a priority for the State.
�
Given the increasing human population,
expanded land use, and other rising threats to marine resources, it is more
crucial than ever to develop and implement effective makai watch site programs
and establish a permanent statewide coordinator position.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to provide the department of land and natural
resources with the necessary funds to establish one full-time equivalent (1.0
FTE) permanent program specialist V position within the department and
successfully coordinate and to implement actions necessary to meet the goals
and objectives of the makai watch program.

����
SECTION
2.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $
���������
or so much thereof as may be
necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may
be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the establishment of one full-time
equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent program specialist V position within the
department of land and natural resources to support the ongoing coordination
and implementation of the makai watch program.

����
The sums

appropriated shall be expended by the department
of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DLNR;
Makai Watch; Marine Resources; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates
moneys to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the establishment of
one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent Makai Watch Coordinator
position.

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