HB867 • 2026

RELATING TO RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.

Budget Education

Active

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

Sponsor: AMATO, BELATTI, IWAMOTO, KAPELA, KILA, MIYAKE, PERRUSO, POEPOE, SOUZA
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify exact funding amounts, leaving uncertainty about how much money will be available for implementation.

Making Playgrounds Accessible to All Youth

This bill requires new playgrounds built in state parks and public schools by June 30, 2027, to include special equipment for physically disabled youth.

What This Bill Does

Requires all new playgrounds constructed on Department of Education school grounds by June 30, 2027, to have accessible recreational equipment.
Establishes a Special Fund to pay for the purchase and installation of this equipment in state parks and public schools.

Who It Names or Affects

Physically disabled youth who will have access to new playgrounds with special equipment.
The Department of Education, which must ensure that all new school playgrounds are accessible by June 30, 2027.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources, responsible for installing accessible equipment in state parks.

Terms To Know

Physically disabled: Having a physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
Special needs recreational playground equipment: Playground equipment designed for physically disabled youth to use safely and enjoyably.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the exact amount of funding that will be appropriated.
It is unclear how existing playgrounds will be retrofitted with accessible equipment.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment requires new playgrounds built in state parks and public schools starting June 30, 2030, to include equipment that physically disabled youth can use.

Requires all new playgrounds constructed after June 30, 2030, in state parks and on public school grounds to have accessible recreational playground equipment.
Establishes a special fund for purchasing and installing this equipment.
Appropriates funds from the general revenues of Hawaii to be deposited into the special fund.

The exact amount of money appropriated is not specified in the amendment text.
The effective date of July 1, 3000, seems incorrect and likely contains an error.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: This amendment requires new playgrounds built on Department of Education school grounds starting June 30, 2030, to include accessible equipment for physically disabled youth and establishes a special fund to support this initiative.

Requires all new playgrounds constructed after June 30, 2030, on Department of Education school grounds to have accessible recreational playground equipment.
Establishes an Accessible Recreational Playground Equipment Special Fund to provide money for the purchase and installation of such equipment.

The exact amount of funds appropriated is not specified in the amendment text provided.
The effective date mentioned (July 1, 3000) seems incorrect or a placeholder; it likely needs to be updated for an actual implementation timeline.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-03-06 S
Referred to EDU, WAM.
2025-03-06 S
Passed First Reading.
2025-03-06 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 295).
2025-03-04 H
Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) 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. 1033) 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.
2025-02-14 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).
2025-02-14 H
Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 759), recommending referral to FIN.
2025-02-13 H
The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Sayama, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Muraoka.
2025-02-11 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Thursday, 02-13-25 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-06 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on EDN with Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Ward excused (1).
2025-02-06 H
Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 237) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to EDN.
2025-02-04 H
The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Lamosao, Belatti, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Souza; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-01-30 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Tuesday, 02-04-25 9:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-23 H
Referred to WAL, EDN, FIN, referral sheet 3
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-21 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.
Accessible Recreational Playground Equipment; Department School Playgrounds; Special Fund; Appropriation ($)
Beginning on 6/30/2030, requires all new playgrounds constructed on Department of Education school grounds to include accessible recreational playground equipment as part of the recreational apparatuses. Establishes the Accessible Recreational Playground Equipment Special Fund. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB867

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

867

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to recreational facilities
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that the lack
of disability-compatible equipment in state parks and playgrounds and
department of education playgrounds is having a negative impact on physically
disabled youth in the State.
�
This causes
disparate utilization of recreational facilities as well as preventing
opportunities for socialization.
�
It is
important to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
�
Disabled community members have rights and it
is important that these rights be recognized.

����
The
purpose of this Act is to enhance the inclusion of physically disabled youth in
important socialization activities by:

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(1)
�
By June 30, 2027, requiring all
playgrounds located in state parks and on public school grounds to have a
minimal set of special needs recreational playground equipment, including a
wheelchair accessible swing set; and

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(2)
�
Appropriating funds to the department of land
and natural resources and department of education to purchase and install
special needs recreational playground equipment.

����
SECTION
2.
�
The Hawaii Revised Statutes is
amended by adding a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read as
follows:

"
Chapter

right to Playgrounds accessible to all youth.

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�
-1
�
Short
title.
�
This chapter may be cited as
the Right to PLAY Act.

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�
-2
�
Definitions.
�

As used in this chapter:

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"Department"
means department of land and natural resources.

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"Physically
disabled" means having a physical impairment that substantially limits one
or more major life activities.

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"Playground"
means any public outdoor facility with apparatuses that are intended for the
recreation of children, including but not limited to sliding boards, swing
sets, and teeterboards.

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"Public
school" has the same meaning as in section 302A‑101.

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"Special
needs recreational playground equipment" means recreational playground
equipment that can be used by physically disabled youth.

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"Youth"
means individuals under the age of eighteen.

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�
-3
�
Special needs recreational playground
equipment installation; minimum requirements.
�

(a)
�
No later than June 30,
2027, every playground located in a state park or on public school grounds
shall include special needs recreational playground equipment as part of the
playground apparatuses.
�
The special
needs recreational playground equipment shall include at a minimum a wheelchair
accessible swing set.

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(b)
�
All special needs recreational playground
equipment installed pursuant to this section shall comply with the standards
set forth in the 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible
Design, or any successor or similar guidelines or standards governing
accessibility standards for public facilities.

����
�
-4
�
Special needs recreational playground
equipment special fund.
�
(a)
�
There is established a special needs
recreational playground equipment special fund to be administered by the
department, which shall consist of moneys appropriated to the fund by the
legislature.

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(b)
�
Moneys from the special needs recreational
playground equipment special fund shall be used by the State for the
acquisition, installation, and maintenance of special needs recreational
playground equipment.

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(c)
�
All unobligated, unencumbered, or unexpended
funds remaining in the fund in excess of
$ at the close of
each fiscal year shall lapse to the general fund.

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�
-5
�
Compliance with federal law.
�
All special needs recreational playground
equipment shall comply with all applicable federal and state laws."

����
SECTION
3
.
�
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
to be deposited into the
special
needs recreational playground equipment special fund established pursuant to
section -4, Hawaii Revised Statutes
.

����
SECTION
4.
�
There is appropriated out of the
special needs recreational playground equipment special fund 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 to purchase and
install special needs recreational playground equipment in state parks.

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

����
SECTION
5.
�
There is appropriated out of the
special needs recreational playground equipment special fund 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 to purchase and
install special needs recreational playground equipment on department of
education public school grounds.

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The sums
appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes
of this Act.

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SECTION 6.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Special Needs Recreational Playground Equipment; State
Parks; Public School Playgrounds; Special Fund; Appropriation

Description:

Requires all playgrounds located in state parks and on
public school grounds to include special needs recreational playground
equipment as part of the recreational apparatuses by 6/30/2027, including at a
minimum a wheelchair accessible swing set.
�
Establishes the Special Needs Recreational
Playground Equipment Special Fund.
�
Appropriates
funds.

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