SB 2489 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES.

Summary

Requires each lease that the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity enters into, renews, or extends to include provisions stating that the Department may: (1) enter the leased premises; (2) order or otherwise require the lessee to maintain control of any invasive species on the leased premises; and (3) terminate the lease for refusal or violation. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 22, 2026 Last action Mar 24, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB2489_HD1 → SB2489_SD1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was transferred from the House to the Senate, updating authorship and metadata. The core policy language remains identical, granting the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity authority to access state-leased lands to control invasive species like the coconut rhinoceros beetle and to terminate leases for non-compliance.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; it still applies to all leases managed by the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity.

TECHNICAL

Updated bill metadata including author names, version numbers, and timestamps to reflect Senate processing.

Changed the effective date from a future placeholder (July 1, 3000) to 'upon approval' to allow immediate enforcement once signed.

Adjusted section references in the text from Chapter 141 to Chapter 166 to align with the Senate's preferred statutory citation.

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

Mar 24, 2026

Committee

Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1395-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Mar 20, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Chun, Kusch, Kahaloa, Lowen, Perruso; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Matsumoto; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Quinlan.

lower

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to AGR, JHA, referral sheet 17

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 249) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Mar 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Mar 3, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Chang, San Buenaventura.

upper

Feb 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-03-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to JDC.

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from AEN/WLA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2560) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to JDC.

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. 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 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. 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 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on AEN/WLA has scheduled a public hearing on 02-11-26 3:00PM; CR 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Committee

Referred to AEN/WLA, JDC.

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

8 primary · 1 co-sponsor