SB2489 • 2026

RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES.

Agriculture

Active

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

Sponsor: KEOHOKALOLE, CHANG, HASHIMOTO, KIDANI, LAMOSAO, MORIWAKI, RHOADS, SAN BUENAVENTURA, Kanuha
Last action: 2026-03-24
Official status: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Alcos, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia voting no (1) and Representative(s) Garrett, Quinlan excused (2).
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 INVASIVE SPECIES.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES.
DAB; Invasive Species; Lease Provisions Requires each lease that the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity enters into, renews, or extends to include provisions stating that the Department may: (1) enter the leased premises; (2) order or otherwise require the lessee to maintain control of any invasive species on the leased premises; and (3) terminate the lease for refusal or violation.
Effective 7/1/3000.
(HD1)

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.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: SB2489 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2489 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2489 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: SB2489 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2489 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2489 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES .

Bill History

2026-03-24 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Alcos, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia voting no (1) and Representative(s) Garrett, Quinlan excused (2).
2026-03-24 H
Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1395-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2026-03-20 H
The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Chun, Kusch, Kahaloa, Lowen, Perruso; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Matsumoto; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Quinlan.
2026-03-17 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by AGR on Friday, 03-20-26 9:30AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-12 H
Referred to AGR, JHA, referral sheet 17
2026-03-12 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-10 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 249) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-03-10 S
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
2026-03-06 S
48 Hrs. Notice 03-10-26.
2026-03-06 S
Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3021) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 1).
2026-03-03 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Chang, San Buenaventura.
2026-02-24 S
The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-03-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-02-20 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to JDC.
2026-02-20 S
Reported from AEN/WLA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2560) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to JDC.
2026-02-11 S
The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. 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.
2026-02-11 S
The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. 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.
2026-02-06 S
The committee(s) on AEN/WLA has scheduled a public hearing on 02-11-26 3:00PM; CR 224 & Videoconference.
2026-01-28 S
Referred to AEN/WLA, JDC.
2026-01-22 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-22 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES.
DAB; Invasive Species; Lease Provisions
Requires each lease that the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity enters into, renews, or extends to include provisions stating that the Department may: (1) enter the leased premises; (2) order or otherwise require the lessee to maintain control of any invasive species on the leased premises; and (3) terminate the lease for refusal or violation. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2489

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2489

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to invasive species
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that invasive species,
including agricultural pests, are a serious problem in the State.
�
The legislature further finds that state-leased
agricultural lands managed by the department of agriculture and biosecurity can
be infested with invasive species that can spread to surrounding areas.
�
Currently, the department of agriculture and
biosecurity does not have a mechanism to require lessees to grant the
department access to the leased land to survey for or control invasive species,
or to require lessees to control particularly harmful invasive species on their
leased parcels.

����
The legislature further finds that a recent
example of the importance of addressing this gap is the detection of coconut
rhinoceros beetle (CRB) in an agricultural park on Hawaii island that is
managed by the department of agriculture and biosecurity.
�
The department sought and relied on gaining
access permission from each lessee, which led to a patchwork of inspected and
treated areas, while the CRB continued to spread from the agricultural park.

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Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
ensure that the department of agriculture and biosecurity has authority to:

����
(1)
�
Access
property that it leases to timely survey for and control invasive species; and

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(2)
�
Require
its lessees to control specific invasive species on their leased parcels.

����
SECTION
2.
�
Chapter 141, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and
to read as follows:

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"
�141-
�
Lease terms; invasive species.
�
(a)

�
Notwithstanding any law to the contrary,
each lease that the department of agriculture and biosecurity enters into,
renews, or extends after the effective date of Act
���
, Session Laws of Hawaii 2026, shall
include provisions stating that the department may:

����
(1)
�
Enter the leased premises at any
time to survey for, identify, investigate, control, or eradicate invasive
species;

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(2)
�
Order or otherwise require the
lessee to maintain control of any invasive species on the leased premises; and

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(3)
�
Terminate the lease if the lessee
refuses the department entry or is found in violation of any applicable law,
rule, order, or request relating to the control or eradication of invasive
species.

����
(b)
�
Access granted by this section
shall be subject to the notice requirements and limitations on liability established
in section 141-3.6.

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(c)
�
For the purposes of this section, "invasive
species" means any taxon that is a pest as defined in section 150A-2, or
that is a prohibited, restricted, or unlisted species pursuant to chapter 150A or
any rule adopted under that chapter and that is present in violation of the
requirements of that chapter or rule.
"

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SECTION 3.
�

This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that
were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

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SECTION 4.
�

New statutory material is underscored.

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SECTION 5.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DAB;
Invasive Species; Lease Provisions

Description:

Requires each
lease that the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity enters into, renews,
or extends to include provisions stating that the Department may: (1) enter the
leased premises; (2) order or otherwise require the lessee to maintain control
of any invasive species on the leased premises; and (3) terminate the lease for
refusal or violation.

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