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SB2235
THE SENATE
S.B. NO.
2235
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating
to ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
.
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 lack of awareness
and insufficient enforcement of the State's environmental laws are causing
substantial ecological harm in the State.
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Visitors to the State are often unaware of local laws and regulations
protecting the environment.
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The
legislature further finds that the agencies and departments tasked with enforcing
these laws frequently lack the resources to educate the public and penalize violators.
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The legislature therefore recognizes the need
for a method of informing the public of their obligations to reduce
environmental harm without overburdening state agencies.
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Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to require visitors to the State's airports to view
an educational video on local environmental protection laws before accessing
state-funded Wi‑Fi services.
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SECTION
2
.
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Chapter
261
,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately
designated and to read as follows:
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"
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261-
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Airport Wi-Fi; access; mandatory visitor educational video;
environmental protection.
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(a)
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The department shall require each person arriving in the State at an
airport with a state-funded Wi-Fi service provided for public use to view a one‑minute
educational video on the environmental protection laws and regulations of the
State and municipalities before the person is granted access to the Wi‑Fi
service.
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The Wi-Fi service's login
webpage shall include a language selection option requiring each person to
select a preferred language for viewing the educational video developed pursuant
to subsection (b).
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The educational video
shall play automatically on the Wi-Fi service's login webpage after the person selects
a language and shall be viewed by the person in its entirety before access to
the Wi-Fi service is granted.
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(b)
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The department shall collaborate with the Hawaii tourism authority under
initiatives administered pursuant to section 201B-7(b)(7) to develop the
educational video required in subsection (a); provided that:
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(1)
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The contents of the educational video shall include but not be limited
to:
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(A)
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The
statewide prohibition on the
sale and distribution of certain
sunscreens pursuant to section 342D-21; and
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(B)
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Municipality-level prohibitions on the sale and use of polystyrene
foam food service ware and plastic bags; and
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(2)
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The educational video shall be produced in English and any foreign
languages the department deems necessary to make the video accessible to the
State's predominant visitor populations, including but not limited to Japanese,
Chinese, and Korean.
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(c)
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The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to
implement this section.
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(d)
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For the purposes of this section:
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"Person"
means an individual using a state-funded Wi-Fi service provided for public use in
a state airport.
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"Wi-Fi"
has the same meaning as defined in title 47 United States Code section
1306(a)(15).
"
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SECTION
3.
�
Section 201B-7, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
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"(b)
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The authority shall be responsible for:
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(1)
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Creating a vision and developing a
long-range strategic plan for tourism in Hawaii;
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(2)
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Developing destination management
action plans for each county;
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(3)
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Promoting, marketing, and developing
the tourism industry in the State;
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(4)
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Arranging for the conduct of research
through contractual services with the University of Hawaii or any agency or
other qualified persons concerning social, economic, and environmental aspects
of tourism development in the State;
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(5)
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Providing technical or other assistance
to agencies and private industry upon request; [
and
]
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(6)
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Reviewing annually the expenditure of
public funds by any visitor industry organization that contracts with the
authority to perform tourism promotion, marketing, and development and making
recommendations necessary to ensure the effective use of the funds for the
development of tourism[
.
]
; and
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(7)
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Implementing
and administering tourism-related initiatives, in collaboration with other
public agencies, that are designed to educate visitors on the environmental
protection laws and regulations of the State and counties
.
"
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SECTION
4
.
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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 2026-2027 for
the
development and dissemination of the visitor educational video required
pursuant to this Act
.
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The
sum appropriated shall be expended by the d
epartment of
transportation
for the purposes of this Act.
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SECTION
5
.
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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 2026-2027 for
the development of the visitor educational video
required pursuant to this Act
.
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The sum appropriated shall be expended by the
Hawaii tourism
authority
for the
purposes of this Act.
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SECTION
6.
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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
7.
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This Act shall take effect on July 1,
2026.
INTRODUCED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title:
DOT; HTA;
Airport Wi-Fi; Visitors; Educational Video; Environmental Protection;
Appropriations
Description:
Requires
the Department of Transportation to require each person arriving in the State
at an airport with a state-funded Wi-Fi service to view a one-minute
educational video on the environmental protection laws and regulations of the
State and counties
before the person
is granted access to the Wi‑Fi service
.
�
Requires the Department
to collaborate with the Hawaii Tourism Authority to develop the educational
video.
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Expands the responsibilities of
the Hawaii Tourism Authority to include the implementation and administration
of tourism-related initiatives, in collaboration with other public agencies,
that are designed to educate visitors on the environmental protection laws and
regulations of the State and counties.
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Appropriates funds.
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not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.