SB 19 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES.

Summary

Appropriates funds to establish positions within the Division of Aquatic Resources of the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 8, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB19 → SB19_SD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to change its designation from House Bill (HB) to Senate Bill (SD1) and updated the effective date from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2050. The specific dollar amounts appropriated for new aquatic biologist and technician positions were removed, leaving the funding amounts blank for the legislature to determine later.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on the Department of Land and Natural Resources, but the timeline for implementation has been extended by over 25 years.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the Act was changed from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2050, significantly delaying when the new positions would begin.

FISCAL

Specific dollar amounts for funding eight new aquatic resource positions were deleted, removing the immediate budgetary commitment.

TECHNICAL

The bill was reclassified from a House Bill to a Senate Bill, and the report title was updated to reflect 'Appropriations' (plural).

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Committee

Reported from WTL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 362) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WTL recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WTL were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Elefante, Chang, McKelvey, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Jan 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WTL has scheduled a public hearing on 02-05-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 16, 2025

Committee

Referred to WTL, WAM.

upper

Jan 15, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 8, 2025

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors