SB2485 • 2026

RELATING TO SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT.

Active

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

Sponsor: GABBARD, CHANG, DECOITE, FEVELLA, MCKELVEY, SAN BUENAVENTURA, Kanuha
Last action: 2026-03-24
Official status: The committee(s) on EEP recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.
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 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT.
Governor; Department of Health; Honolulu Board of Water Supply; Solid Waste Management; Working Group; Counties; Report Establishes a temporary Solid Waste Management Working Group in the Office of the Governor to examine materials management policies and programs that reduce solid waste and protect the environment, and to present a list of alternative technologies to address solid waste management.
Requires a report to the Legislature.
Repeals 6/30/2027.

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: SB2485 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2485 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2485 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT .

Bill History

2026-03-24 H
The committee(s) on EEP recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.
2026-03-23 H
Bill scheduled for decision making on Tuesday, 03-24-26 11:00AM in conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-19 H
The committee(s) on EEP recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 03-24-26.
2026-03-16 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EEP on Thursday, 03-19-26 9:40AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-10 H
Referred to EEP, FIN, referral sheet 15
2026-02-25 H
Pass First Reading
2026-02-24 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 13) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-02-24 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 1 (Senator(s) Gabbard). Transmitted to House.
2026-02-23 S
One Day Notice 02-24-26.
2026-02-23 S
Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2700) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-02-19 S
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WAM were as follows: 11 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kidani, Richards.
2026-02-13 S
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-19-26 10:30AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
2026-02-11 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-02-11 S
Reported from AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2183) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-02-04 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.
2026-01-30 S
The committee(s) on AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-04-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2026-01-28 S
Referred to AEN, WAM.
2026-01-22 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-22 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT.
Governor; Department of Health; Honolulu Board of Water Supply; Solid Waste Management; Working Group; Counties; Report
Establishes a temporary Solid Waste Management Working Group in the Office of the Governor to examine materials management policies and programs that reduce solid waste and protect the environment, and to present a list of alternative technologies to address solid waste management. Requires a report to the Legislature. Repeals 6/30/2027. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2485

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2485

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to solid waste management
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that the permit for the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in Kapolei
on Oahu expires in 2028.

����
The legislature also finds that the city
and county of Honolulu has not identified any sites for a new landfill that the
Honolulu board of water supply finds acceptable because the sites identified
are located above aquifers and therefore development of a new landfill in those
locations has the potential to contaminate ground water.

����
The legislature further finds that the
United States Department of Defense holds that federal lands controlled by the
military are not available for landfill use under federal rules.

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The legislature further finds that if no alternate
landfill site is identified, the city and county of Honolulu will be forced to
pursue a legally prohibited expansion of the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill.

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The legislature further finds that a new
landfill on Oahu is inherently problematic and is not necessarily the best way
that communities in the State can reduce and handle the solid waste produced by
their linear extract, package, and throw-away economy.

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Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to establish
a temporary working group in the office of the governor to address and inform
policies and programs to reduce solid waste.

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SECTION 2.
�

(a)
�
The governor shall convene a
temporary solid waste management working group, whose membership shall comprise
the following:

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(1)
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A
representative from the department of health;

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(2)
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A
representative from the department of environmental services of the city and county
of Honolulu;

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(3)
�
A
representative from each county, as designated by the mayor of that county;

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(4)
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A
representative from the Honolulu board of water supply;

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(5)
�
A
representative from the recycling industry, to be invited by the governor;

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(6)
�
A
representative from the composting industry, to be invited by the governor;

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(7)
�
A
representative from the reuse industry, to be invited by the governor;

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(8)
�
A
representative from the deconstruction industry, to be invited by the governor;

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(9)
�
A
representative from Zero Waste USA, to be invited by the governor;

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(10)
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A
representative from a Hawaii-based environmental nonprofit organization
advocating for zero waste priorities, to be invited by the governor;

���
(11)
�
A
landfill expert with specialization in landfill liner leakage, to be invited by
the governor;

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(12)
�
An
expert in unit-based pricing, to be invited by the governor;

���
(13)
�
An
expert in pyrolysis, to be invited by the governor;

���
(14)
�
An
expert in plasma arc gasification, to be invited by the governor; and

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(15)
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A
representative from the United States Armed Forces, to be invited by the governor.

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(b)
�
The
first meeting of the solid waste management working group shall be convened by the
governor
, or the governor's designee
.
�
At the first meeting, the solid waste management
working group shall elect a chair from among its members.
�
The chair shall convene subsequent meetings of
the working group.

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(c)
�

The solid waste management working group shall submit a report of its
findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature
no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2027.
�
The report shall include:

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(1)
�
Information on materials management
policies and programs that reduce solid waste and protect
the environment
, which includes the groundwater, earth, and air; and

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(2)
�
A
list of alternative technologies to address solid waste management of waste
that cannot typically be recycled or composted.

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SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval
and shall repeal on June 30, 2027.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Governor;
Department of Health; Honolulu Board of Water Supply; Solid Waste Management;
Working Group; Counties; Report

Description:

Establishes
a temporary
solid waste management working group in the Office of the
Governor to examine materials management policies and programs that reduce
solid waste and protect the environment, and to present a list of alternative
technologies to address solid waste management.
�

Requires a report to the Legislature.
�

Repeals 6/30/2027.

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