SB 562 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO INVASIVE SPECIES.

Summary

Establishes a Plant Nursery Registry Program to regulate the sale of nursery stock. Requires certain plant nurseries to register with the Department of Agriculture. Establishes penalties. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB562_SD1 → SB562_SD2 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates the plant nursery registry program to include commercial landscaping businesses and clarifies that 'nursery stock' includes cut flowers. It also revises penalty structures for violations, adds a requirement for courts to order restitution for pest-related damages, and extends the bill's effective date to July 1, 2050.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly include commercial landscaping businesses under the nursery registration requirement and clarified the definition of nursery stock to ensure cut flowers are covered.

REQUIREMENT

Commercial landscaping businesses are now explicitly required to register with the Department of Agriculture if they sell or produce nursery stock.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'nursery stock' was modified to explicitly list 'cut flowers' to ensure they are covered under the regulations.

ENFORCEMENT

Penalty provisions were updated to include a mandatory court order requiring violators to pay for pest eradication costs to the state general fund.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the Act was changed from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2050.

SB562 → SB562_HD1 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill significantly expands the scope of Hawaii's plant nursery regulations by adding new definitions, broadening who must register, and updating enforcement penalties. It removes complex, jargon-heavy definitions regarding pest priorities and replaces them with simpler language focused on general pest control. The bill also clarifies that the nursery program is part of the state's broader biosecurity efforts and establishes specific rules for when a person is presumed to have the intent to propagate prohibited species.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of the registration requirement to include pop-up sales, craft fairs, and fundraising events, and clarifies that the program applies to anyone selling or producing nursery stock for sale. It also explicitly excludes private dwellings from administrative inspections.

DEFINITION

Removed detailed definitions for 'high-priority pest' and 'non-quarantine pest' and replaced them with a single, simpler definition for 'best management practices' and a broader definition for 'nursery stock' that includes cut foliage and fresh produce.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new section clarifying that the plant nursery registration program is officially part of the state's biosecurity program.

Added a provision stating that administrative inspections of registered nurseries cannot include private dwellings or structures not associated with the nursery stock.

ENFORCEMENT

Replaced vague references to 'high-priority pests' with general references to 'pests' in inspection triggers and certification requirements to simplify compliance.

Added a new section establishing specific criteria to presume that a person has the 'intent to propagate' prohibited animals or plants, such as possessing multiple specimens of opposite sexes.

Added a new section clarifying that the State is not liable for economic losses resulting from pest control actions like quarantine or destruction orders.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the Act from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 3000, likely as a placeholder for future legislative action.

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 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1223) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Kusch, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to AGR, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 19

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 168) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Feb 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 11 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Aquino, Fevella.

upper

Feb 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in CPN were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, McKelvey, Richards, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on CPN/WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-26-25 10:00AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 5, 2025

Committee

Reported from AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 46) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to CPN/WAM.

upper

Jan 29, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in AEN were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, DeCoite, Rhoads, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Richards.

upper

Jan 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 01-29-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to AEN, CPN/WAM.

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

9 primary · 0 co-sponsors