KA ‘AHA KENEKOA
THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2026
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Senator Chris Lee, Chair |
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Senator Lorraine R. Inouye, Vice Chair |
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Senator Mike Gabbard, Chair |
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Senator Herbert M. "Tim" Richards, III, Vice Chair |
NOTICE OF HEARING
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DATE: |
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 |
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TIME: |
1:00 PM |
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PLACE: |
Conference Room 224 & Videoconference State Capitol 415 South Beretania Street |
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TIMESLOT: |
WLA |
PHOTO ID REQUIRED FOR ENTRANCE TO THE STATE CAPITOL
BUILDING HOURS: 7AM TO 5PM, MONDAY - FRIDAY
The Legislature is accepting written, videoconference, and in-person testimony at public hearings.
A live stream of all Senate Standing Committee meetings will be available on the Senate YouTube Channel.
A G E N D A
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RELATING TO WILDLIFE. Establishes the Freshwater State Recreation Area Wildlife Sanctuary Corporation.
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WLA/AEN, WAM |
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RELATING TO CONSERVATION. Establishes the Hawaii Conservation Sanctuary as a nonprofit group to work with the Department of Land and Natural Resources to support conservation, wildlife preservation, and ancillary programs by establishing sanctuaries in the State.
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WLA/AEN, WAM |
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RELATING TO ADAPTATION PATHWAYS PLANNING. Expands the authority of the State and counties to develop adaptation pathways plans to modify and relocate infrastructure away from critically threatened areas to locations outside sea level rise and coastal flooding exposure areas. Appropriates funds.
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WLA/AEN, WAM |
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RELATING TO CLIMATE PLANNING. Amends the powers and duties of the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission administered by the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Establishes a Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission Coordinator position to lead the Commission. Appropriates moneys. Requires annual reports to the Governor, Legislature, and counties.
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WLA/AEN, WAM |
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RELATING TO CARBON SEQUESTRATION INCENTIVES. Codifies and makes permanent the Hawaii Carbon Smart Land Management Assistance Program under the Department of Land and Natural Resources.
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WLA/AEN, WAM |
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RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS. Requires that an environmental assessment be conducted and an environmental impact statement be prepared for any proposed use within historic properties considered significant or recognized as a traditional cultural property.
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WLA/AEN, JDC |
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RELATING TO THE TRANSFER OF NON-AGRICULTURAL PARK LANDS. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to accept the transfer of and manage certain qualifying non-agricultural park lands. Authorizes the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to request information related to easements prior to any transfer of certain qualifying non-agricultural park lands. Requires approval from the Board of Land and Natural Resources and Board of Agriculture and Biosecurity and an approved feasible and funded action plan before pasture lands are removed for reforestation or other public purposes.
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WLA/AEN, JDC |
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RELATING TO HUNTING. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to adopt rules regarding safe and humane hunting practices of feral pigs and hunting dog welfare standards. Establishes requirements for the hunter education program instruction. Includes the use of dogs to torture wildlife or game mammals as torture in the second degree.
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WLA/AEN, JDC/WAM |
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RELATING TO WILDLIFE. Increases the fines for taking or harassing protected turtles in the State.
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WLA/AEN, JDC |
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RELATING TO OAHU CORAL REEF RESTORATION. Temporarily prohibits the taking by spearing of uhu or kala in state marine waters around the island of Oahu, and prohibits the commercial sale of uhu and kala so taken, until the Division of Aquatic Resources' Holomua Marine Initiative process adopts applicable regulations.
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WLA/AEN, JDC |
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RELATING TO THE HAWAII INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL. Appropriates funds to the Hawaii Invasive Species Council to support its initiatives to control and eradicate invasive species in the State.
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WLA/AEN, WAM |
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RELATING TO THE HAWAII INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL. 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.
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WLA/AEN, WAM |
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Decision Making to follow, if time permits.
All testimony received by the Hawai‘i Senate is posted on the Hawai‘i Legislature's website, which is accessible to the public. Please do not include private information that you do not want disclosed to the public.
Please go to the Legislature's website, https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov, to submit written testimony at least 24 hours prior to the hearing. Create a free account on the website, or sign in to an existing account, then click on the "Participate" drop down menu and select the "Submit Testimony" option to get started. While submitting your written testimony, you will be prompted to indicate if you would also like to testify at the hearing in-person or remotely via videoconference.
Please note the following:
· The number of oral testifiers and/or time allotted to each testifier may be limited by the Chair when necessary to adhere to the committee hearing schedule. We may not be able to accommodate everyone who requests to testify orally.
· Testifiers for this hearing will be limited to 1 minute each.
If you wish to testify via videoconference during the hearing, please review the detailed step-by-step instructions for testimony procedures before you submit your written testimony. Here's a direct link to the instructions: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/docs/testimonyinstructions.pdf
For general help navigating the committee hearing process, please contact the Public Access Room at (808) 587-0478 or par@capitol.hawaii.gov. You can also visit their website at https://lrb.hawaii.gov/par/.
For special assistance: The cable TV broadcast and/or live stream of this meeting will include closed captioning. If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability, please call the committee clerk at the telephone number listed below or email WLAcommittee@capitol.hawaii.gov. Requests made as early as possible have a greater likelihood of being fulfilled.
For amended notices: Measures that have been deleted are stricken through and measures that have been added are underscored. If a measure is both underscored and stricken through, that measure has been deleted from the agenda.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT 808-587-8388.
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_____________________________________ Senator Mike Gabbard Chair |
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_____________________________________ Senator Chris Lee Chair |
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