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SB22 • 2026

RELATING TO FISHERIES.

RELATING TO FISHERIES.

Active

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

Sponsor
INOUYE, CHANG, HASHIMOTO, Moriwaki
Last action
2026-01-21
Official status
Re-Referred to WLA/AEN, JDC.
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 FISHERIES.

RELATING TO FISHERIES.

What This Bill Does

  • RELATING TO FISHERIES.
  • Fisheries; Environmental Review; Exemption Exempts actions involving the operation and management of fisheries in the State from environmental review requirements.

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.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-21 S

    Re-Referred to WLA/AEN, JDC.

  2. 2025-12-08 D

    Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

  3. 2025-02-12 S

    The committee on AEN deferred the measure.

  4. 2025-02-12 S

    The committee on WTL deferred the measure.

  5. 2025-02-07 S

    The committee(s) on WTL/AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-12-25 1:05PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

  6. 2025-01-16 S

    Referred to WTL/AEN, JDC.

  7. 2025-01-15 S

    Introduced and passed First Reading.

  8. 2025-01-08 S

    Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO FISHERIES.
Fisheries; Environmental Review; Exemption
Exempts actions involving the operation and management of fisheries in the State from environmental review requirements.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SB22

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

22

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to fisheries
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that fisheries management in state waters is the
responsibility of the department of land and natural resources.
�
In carrying out this responsibility, the
department is required to conduct careful analysis of data on the fishery and
its ecosystem to determine if the fishery can be sustainably harvested.
�
Further, the analysis also ensures the
protection of environmental and cultural values of the surrounding ecosystem.
�
For these reasons, the legislature finds that
it is not necessary for the department or those engaged in operating or managing
the fishery to also prepare documentation to comply with existing law regarding
environmental impact statements.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
exempt actions involving the operation and management of all fisheries in the
State from environmental review requirements.

����
SECTION 2.
�

Chapter 343, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section
to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

����
"
�343-
�
Fisheries;
exemption.
�
Actions involving the operation and management
of all fisheries in the State shall be exempt from the requirements of this
chapter.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�

New statutory material is underscored.

����
SECTION 4.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Fisheries;
Environmental Review; Exemption

Description:

Exempts
actions involving the operation and management of fisheries in the State from environmental
review requirements.

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not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.