SR81 • 2026

ENCOURAGING THE UNITED STATES NAVY TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ERADICATION OF OCTOCORAL AND OTHER INVASIVE SPECIES FROM THE WATERS OF PEARL HARBOR, INCLUDING WEST LOCH, MIDDLE LOCH, AND EAST LOCH.

Active

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

Sponsor: LAMOSAO, ELEFANTE, Wakai
Last action: 2026-04-07
Official status: Report and Resolution Adopted.
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.

ENCOURAGING THE UNITED STATES NAVY TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ERADICATION OF OCTOCORAL AND OTHER INVASIVE SPECIES FROM THE WATERS OF PEARL HARBOR, INCLUDING WEST LOCH, MIDDLE LOCH, AND EAST LOCH.

What This Bill Does

ENCOURAGING THE UNITED STATES NAVY TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ERADICATION OF OCTOCORAL AND OTHER INVASIVE SPECIES FROM THE WATERS OF PEARL HARBOR, INCLUDING WEST LOCH, MIDDLE LOCH, AND EAST LOCH.
United States Navy; Octocoral; Invasive Species; Pearl Harbor; Shoreline; Maintenance

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.

Bill History

2026-04-07 S
Report and Resolution Adopted.
2026-04-06 S
One Day Notice 04-07-26.
2026-04-06 S
Reported from PSM/EIG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3424) with recommendation of adoption.
2026-03-31 S
The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in PSM were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Fukunaga, Lee, C., Hashimoto, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Inouye.
2026-03-31 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, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
2026-03-24 S
The committee(s) on PSM/EIG has scheduled a public hearing on 03-31-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.
2026-03-19 S
Referred to PSM/EIG.
2026-03-16 S
Offered.

Official Summary Text

ENCOURAGING THE UNITED STATES NAVY TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ERADICATION OF OCTOCORAL AND OTHER INVASIVE SPECIES FROM THE WATERS OF PEARL HARBOR, INCLUDING WEST LOCH, MIDDLE LOCH, AND EAST LOCH.
United States Navy; Octocoral; Invasive Species; Pearl Harbor; Shoreline; Maintenance

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SR81

THE SENATE

S.R. NO.

81

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

encouraging the United states navy to take responsibility
for the eradication of octocoral and other invasive species from the waters of
Pearl Harbor, including West Loch, Middle Loch, and East Loch
.

����
WHEREAS, two
invasive species of octocoral, or Unomia stolonifera and Capnella spicata, are
two of many invasive species that threaten Pearl Harbor's maritime ecosystem;
and

����
WHEREAS, octocoral
takes over marine habitats extremely quickly because it is a "soft
coral" that does not form a calcium exoskeleton like reef-building corals,
allowing it to rapidly grow and spread colonies, smothering Hawaiian coral reef
ecosystems; and

����
WHEREAS, in
areas where octocorals dominate the marine habitat, there is a lower density
and diversity of fish; and

����
WHEREAS, the
United States Navy reported the presence of octocoral near Pearl Harbor in late
2020 during surveys that were not focused on these octocorals and recent
surveys have documented these species in a much larger area and indicate that
they were most likely present before 2019; and

WHEREAS, consistent
maintenance is necessary to preserve and care for the natural features of Pearl
Harbor and its shoreline; and

����
WHEREAS, a
strong unified response is required to remove and eradicate octocorals and
other invasive species from the waters of Pearl Harbor; and

����
WHEREAS, the
United States Navy is the principal caretaker of Pearl Harbor, including both
its waters and shoreline; now, therefore,

����
BE IT
RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii,
Regular Session of 2026, that the United States Navy is encouraged to take
responsibility for the eradication of octocoral and other invasive species from
the waters of Pearl Harbor, including West Loch, Middle Loch, and East Loch;
and

����
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the United States Navy is encouraged to allocate resources to
eradicate octocoral and other invasive species from the waters of Pearl Harbor,
including West Loch, Middle Loch, and East Loch; and

����
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that the United States Navy is urged to allocate resources to clean,
maintain, and secure the shoreline of Pearl Harbor, including West Loch, Middle
Loch, and East Loch; and

����
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to United
States Secretary of the Navy.

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:
�

United
States Navy; Octocoral; Invasive Species; Pearl Harbor; Shoreline; Maintenance