SB2981 • 2026

RELATING TO LAND USE.

Active

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

Sponsor: LEE, C.
Last action: 2026-03-20
Official status: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on WAL with Representative(s) Amato, Cochran, Shimizu, Takenouchi, Tam voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Gedeon, Marten, Olds, Reyes Oda, Souza voting no (7) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
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 LAND USE.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO LAND USE.
Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements; Prohibited Beginning 7/1/2027, prohibits counties from imposing minimum parking mandates for certain developments.
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: SB2981 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.

SB2981 HD1 THE SENATE S.B.
NO.
2981 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LAND USE .

Bill History

2026-03-20 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on WAL with Representative(s) Amato, Cochran, Shimizu, Takenouchi, Tam voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Gedeon, Marten, Olds, Reyes Oda, Souza voting no (7) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
2026-03-20 H
Reported from HSG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1313-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to WAL.
2026-03-18 H
The committee on HSG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Evslin, Miyake, Grandinetti, Kila, Kitagawa, La Chica, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Cochran; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-03-16 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HSG on Wednesday, 03-18-26 9:00AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-03-12 H
Referred to HSG, WAL, JHA, referral sheet 17
2026-03-12 H
Pass First Reading
2026-03-10 H
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 332).
2026-03-10 S
Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Elefante, Fukunaga, Ihara, Lamosao, McKelvey. Noes, 2 (Senator(s) Awa, San Buenaventura). 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. 2981) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
2026-03-04 S
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) San Buenaventura.
2026-02-24 S
The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-04-26 9:40AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
2026-02-20 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to JDC.
2026-02-20 S
Reported from WLA/EIG/HOU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2594) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to JDC.
2026-02-17 S
The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in EIG were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Wakai, Chang, DeCoite, Richards; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Fevella ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-17 S
The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WLA were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Chang, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Lamosao ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Inouye.
2026-02-17 S
The committee(s) on HOU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in HOU were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Chang, Hashimoto, Rhoads; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Elefante, Fevella ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-02-13 S
The committee(s) on WLA/EIG/HOU has scheduled a public hearing on 02-17-26 3:02PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2026-01-30 S
Referred to WLA/EIG/HOU, JDC.
2026-01-26 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-01-23 S
Introduced.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO LAND USE.
Minimum Off-Street Parking Requirements; Prohibited
Beginning 7/1/2027, prohibits counties from imposing minimum parking mandates for certain developments. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB2981

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2981

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to land use
.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
The legislature finds that
pre-determined minimum parking requirements needlessly drive up the cost of construction,
particularly housing construction; discourage walking and multi-modal transit
usage; and encourage excessive reliance on automobiles with attendant impacts
on human health and greenhouse gas emissions.
�

The legislature further finds that, rather than the counties taking a
one-size-fits-all approach to minimum parking requirements, the amount of
parking for a project should be determined on a case-by-case basis by permit
applicants, sensitive to actual community needs.

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Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to prohibit minimum off-street parking requirements
for any new development in an urban district.

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SECTION

2
.
�
This
Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Parking Reform and
Modernization Act".

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SECTION

3
.
�
Chapter
205
,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part I to be
appropriately designated and to read as follows:

����
"
�205-
�
Off-street parking requirements;
prohibited; urban district.
�
Notwithstanding
any other law, charter, provision, ordinance, code, or standard to the
contrary, beginning July 1, 2027, off-street parking requirements shall be
prohibited for any new development in an urban district.
"

����
SECTION

4
.
�
Section 46-4.7,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as
follows:

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"
(b)
�

Notwithstanding any law, ordinance, or code or standard to the contrary,
each adaptive reuse ordinance shall:

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(1)
�
Allow
for the construction of micro units; provided that no county shall require a
micro unit to be larger than minimum standards established in the International
Building Code;

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(2)
�
Allow
for adaptive reuse to meet the interior environment requirements of the
International Building Code; and

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(3)
�
Provide for an exemption to any requirements
regarding park dedication [
or additional off-street parking
]; provided
that[
:

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(A)
�
The existing off-street parking
satisfies at least fifty per cent of a county's parking requirements; and

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(B)
�
The
]
the
building's floor
area, height, and setbacks do not change as a result of adaptive reuse[
;

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provided
further that this paragraph shall not preclude a county from exempting a
project under this section from all off-street parking requirements
]."

����
SECTION
5.
�
Each county shall amend or repeal any
charter provision, ordinance, code, standard, or administrative procedure
necessary to comply with this Act no later than July 1, 2027.
�
On July 1, 2027, any charter provision,
ordinance, code, standard, or administrative procedure that conflicts with this
Act shall be void.

����
SECTION
6.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION
7.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its
approval; provided that section 4 shall take effect on July 1, 2027.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Minimum

Off-Street

Parking

Requirements;

Prohibited

Description:

Beginning 7/1/2027, prohibits minimum off-street parking
requirements for any new development in an urban district.
�
Requires

each

county

to

amend

or

repeal

any

charter

provision, ordinance, code, standard, or
administrative procedure that imposes a minimum off-street parking requirement
by 7/1/2027.

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