SB2713 • 2026

RELATING TO PESTICIDE BUFFER ZONES.

Active

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

Sponsor: GABBARD, Ihara, Moriwaki, San Buenaventura
Last action: 2026-03-12
Official status: Referred to AGR, 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 PESTICIDE BUFFER ZONES.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO PESTICIDE BUFFER ZONES.
Restricted Use Pesticides; Elderly Health Care Facilities; Buffer Zone; Exemptions; Invasive Species Control Beginning 1/1/2027, prohibits the application of restricted use pesticides within a half-mile radius of elderly health care facilities, with certain exemptions.
(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: SB2713 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2713 SD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2713 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PESTICIDE BUFFER ZONES .

Bill History

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. 286) in amended form (SD 1).
2026-03-10 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) DeCoite, Lamosao, Richards. 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. 2993) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-03 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.
2026-02-24 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, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.
2026-02-20 S
Reported from AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2493) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
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, Rhoads, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Richards, DeCoite ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-09 S
The committee(s) on AEN will hold a public decision making on 02-11-26 4:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2026-02-08 S
The committee on AEN has deleted the measure from decision making scheduled on 02-09-26 3:01PM; CR 224 & Videoconference.
2026-02-04 S
The committee(s) on AEN deferred the measure until 02-09-26 3:01PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2026-02-03 S
The committee(s) on AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-06-26 3:01PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2026-01-28 S
Referred to AEN, JDC.
2026-01-26 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-23 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO PESTICIDE BUFFER ZONES.
Restricted Use Pesticides; Elderly Health Care Facilities; Buffer Zone; Exemptions; Invasive Species Control
Beginning 1/1/2027, prohibits the application of restricted use pesticides within a half-mile radius of elderly health care facilities, with certain exemptions. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2713

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2713

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to pesticide buffer zones
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
This Act shall
be known and may be cited as the "Senior Safe Zone Act".

����
SECTION 2.
�

The legislature finds that older adults are especially vulnerable to the
drift from toxic pesticides due to the slower processing of chemicals within
their bodies.
�
Chronic exposure to
pesticidal toxins has been linked to cancer, Parkinson's disease, and dementia,
and may shorten lifespans.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to establish
buffer zones for pesticide use around elderly health care facilities, with
exemptions for whole structure fumigation and invasive species control, to give
our kupuna a healthier environment, reduce the chances for illness, and provide
them with more quality years with their families.

����
SECTION
3
.
�
Section 149A-28, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

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"
[
[
]
�149A-28[
]
]
�
Buffer zones.
�
(a)

�
Beginning January 1, 2019, no person shall
apply a restricted use pesticide on or within one hundred feet of a school
property during normal school hours; provided that this section shall not apply
to whole structure fumigation; provided further that if this section is determined
to conflict with any pesticide application information listed on the pesticide
label, the more restrictive provision shall apply.

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(b)
�

Beginning January 1, 2027, no person shall apply a restricted use
pesticide on or within one-half mile of an elderly health care facility;
provided that this subsection shall not apply to:

����
(1)
�
Whole
structure fumigation; or

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(2)
�
Invasive
species control conducted by the department of agriculture and biosecurity or by
any invasive species committee organized under the pacific cooperative studies
unit project of the university of Hawaii;

provided
further that if this subsection is determined to conflict with any pesticide
application information listed on the pesticide label, the more restrictive
provision shall apply.

����
For the purposes of this subsection,
"elderly health care facility" means any licensed hospital, institution,
place, or building, or portion thereof, private or public, other than federal
facilities or services, whether organized for profit or not, used, operated, or
designed to provide medical diagnosis, treatment, nursing, rehabilitative, or
preventive care to any person or persons aged sixty-two or older.
"

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SECTION 4.
�

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

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SECTION 5.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Restricted
Use Pesticides; Elderly Health Care Facilities; Buffer Zone; Exemptions;
Invasive Species Control

Description:

Beginning
1/1/2027, prohibits the application of restricted use pesticides within a
half-mile radius of elderly health care facilities, with exemptions for whole
structure fumigation and invasive species control.

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