SB 2488 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE HAWAII INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL.

Summary

Establishes the position of the Hawaii Invasive Species Council Executive Director. Appropriates funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, rather than the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity, for the HISC for fiscal year 2026-2027. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Feb 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 22, 2026 Last action Feb 20, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB2488 → SB2488_SD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was reformatted from a standard legislative draft to a system-generated template, but the core policy content remains substantively identical. The legislation establishes an Executive Director for the Hawaii Invasive Species Council, transfers the council's 2026-2027 funding to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and mandates an annual report to the legislature.

TECHNICAL

The document structure changed from a standard legislative text to a system-generated template containing metadata (e.g., author names, timestamps, revision numbers) and a summary description, though the actual bill text is preserved.

REQUIREMENT

Establishes a new full-time Executive Director position for the council, exempt from standard state salary caps, to serve as the chief executive officer.

Requires the council to submit an annual report of its activities to the governor and legislature.

FISCAL

Transfers the council's fiscal year 2026-2027 appropriation of $4,250,000 from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

TIMELINE

Sets the effective date of the Act to July 1, 2050, which is significantly later than the fiscal year dates mentioned in the text.

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 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from WLA/AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2621) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. 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.

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

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, Richards, DeCoite, Rhoads, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WLA/AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-11-26 1:00PM; CR 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Committee

Referred to WLA/AEN, WAM.

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

6 primary · 1 co-sponsor