STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1983-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.B. No. 2983

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2983, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NATURAL RESOURCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the offense of criminal destruction of a tree on state or county property as a misdemeanor.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that trees on state and county property provide important environmental, cultural, and community benefits, and their intentional destruction can result in significant loss and public expense. Your Committee further finds that existing law does not adequately address or deter the intentional felling or damaging of these trees.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying the threshold of harm required to establish the offense by replacing the requirement that a tree be damaged to the point it has no value with a standard that the conduct substantially diminishes the value of the tree;

(2) Clarifying that the arborist who determines the replacement value of the tree is designated by the appropriate state or county agency;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2983, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2983, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair