STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2410

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2336

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 2336 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TREES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the State and political subdivisions to ensure and enforce that all arborists and other professionals in its employ, including contractors, who manage trees or lands that will impact public trees adhere to best management practices.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Outdoor Circle and one individual.

Your Committee finds that all professionals in the tree care industry have a duty to perform work to the best industry standards, which are designed not only to protect cherished natural resources but also to save the State money from poorly executed tree care. Your Committee additionally finds that many state arborists have been required to perform work for the State that requires them to violate their professional standards and the best practices of the industry. This measure will remove ethical conflicts, elevate the professionalism of tree care professionals in the State, and better preserve the State's natural resources by ensuring all work performed on state trees is done to the recognized, existing industry standard and associated best practices.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have required political subdivisions to ensure that all arborists or other contractors or professionals in their employ adhere to best management practices;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2525, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2336, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2336, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Government Operations,

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ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair