SB2322 • 2026

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS.

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Sponsor: GABBARD, San Buenaventura
Last action: 2026-03-12
Official status: Referred to EEP, WAL, JHA, referral sheet 17
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 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS.
Environmental Assessment; Environmental Impact Statement; Requirement; Significant Historic Properties; Traditional Cultural Properties or Places Requires that an environmental assessment be conducted and an environmental impact statement be prepared for any proposed use within historic properties designated by the Hawaii or National Register of Historic Places, important to native Hawaiian people or to another ethnic group of the State, or determined to be eligible as a traditional cultural property or place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Effective 7/1/2050.
(SD1)

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.

Amendments

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

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2322 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2322 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2322 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS .

Bill History

2026-03-12 H
Referred to EEP, WAL, JHA, referral sheet 17
2026-03-12 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-10 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 210) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-03-10 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-06 S
One Day Notice 03-10-26.
2026-03-06 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2985) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-02-27 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-23 S
The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-27-26 10:30AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-02-20 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.
2026-02-20 S
Reported from WLA/AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2620) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
2026-02-11 S
The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WLA were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Inouye, Chang, Lamosao, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-11 S
The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in AEN were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, Richards, DeCoite, Rhoads, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-06 S
The committee(s) on WLA/AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-11-26 1:00PM; CR 224 & Videoconference.
2026-01-26 S
Referred to WLA/AEN, JDC.
2026-01-21 S
Introduced and passed First Reading.
2026-01-15 S
Pending Introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS.
Environmental Assessment; Environmental Impact Statement; Requirement; Significant Historic Properties; Traditional Cultural Properties or Places
Requires that an environmental assessment be conducted and an environmental impact statement be prepared for any proposed use within historic properties designated by the Hawaii or National Register of Historic Places, important to native Hawaiian people or to another ethnic group of the State, or determined to be eligible as a traditional cultural property or place on the National Register of Historic Places. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2322

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2322

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to environmental assessments
.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 343-5,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as
follows:

����
"
(a)
�

Except as otherwise provided, an environmental assessment shall be
required for actions that:

����
(1)
�
Propose
the use of state or county lands or the use of state or county funds, other
than funds to be used for feasibility or planning studies for possible future
programs or projects that the agency has not approved, adopted, or funded, or
funds to be used for the acquisition of unimproved real property; provided that
the agency shall consider environmental factors and available alternatives in
its feasibility or planning studies; provided further that an environmental
assessment for proposed uses under section 205-2(d)(11) or 205-4.5(a)(13) shall
only be required pursuant to section 205-5(b);

����
(2)
�
Propose
any use within any land classified as a conservation district by the state land
use commission under chapter 205;

����
(3)
�
Propose
any use within a shoreline area as defined in section 205A-41;

����
(4)
�
Propose
any use within any historic [
site
]
:

���������
(A)
�
Site

as designated in the National Register or Hawaii Register, as provided for in
the Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Public Law 89-665, or chapter 6E;

���������
(B)
�
Property
considered significant pursuant to section 284-6(b)(5), chapter 13, of the
Hawaii administrative rules; or

���������
(C)
�
Property
recognized as a traditional cultural property by the state historic
preservation division pursuant to section 6E-42;

����
(5)
�
Propose
any use within the Waikiki area of Oahu, the boundaries of which are delineated
in the land use ordinance as amended, establishing the "Waikiki Special
District";

����
(6)
�
Propose
any amendments to existing county general plans where the amendment would
result in designations other than agriculture, conservation, or preservation,
except actions proposing any new county general plan or amendments to any
existing county general plan initiated by a county;

����
(7)
�
Propose
any reclassification of any land classified as a conservation district by the
state land use commission under chapter 205;

����
(8)
�
Propose
the construction of new or the expansion or modification of existing helicopter
facilities within the State, that by way of their activities, may affect:

���������
(A)
�
Any
land classified as a conservation district by the state land use commission
under chapter 205;

���������
(B)
�
A
shoreline area as defined in section 205A-41; or

���������
(C)
�
Any
historic site as designated in the National Register or Hawaii Register, as
provided for in the Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Public Law 89-665, or
chapter 6E; or until the statewide historic places inventory is completed, any
historic site that is found by a field reconnaissance of the area affected by
the helicopter facility and is under consideration for placement on the
National Register or the Hawaii Register of Historic Places; and

����
(9)
�
Propose any:

���������
(A)
�
Wastewater
treatment unit, except an individual wastewater system or a wastewater
treatment unit serving fewer than fifty single-family dwellings or the
equivalent;

���������
(B)
�
Waste-to-energy
facility;

���������
(C)
�
Landfill;

���������
(D)
�
Oil
refinery; or

���������
(E)
�
Power-generating
facility.
"

����
SECTION 2.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Environmental
Assessment; Environmental Impact Statement; Requirement; Significant Historic Properties;
Traditional Cultural Properties

Description:

Requires
that an environmental assessment be conducted and an environmental impact
statement be prepared for any proposed use within historic properties
considered significant or recognized as a traditional cultural property.

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