KA ‘AHA KENEKOA
THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE
REGULAR SESSION OF 2026
|
Senator Chris Lee, Chair |
|
Senator Lorraine R. Inouye, Vice Chair |
NOTICE OF HEARING
|
DATE: |
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 |
|
TIME: |
1:01 PM |
|
PLACE: |
Conference Room 224 & Videoconference State Capitol 415 South Beretania Street |
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
The following bill (SB2975) was originally scheduled to be heard on Monday, February 9, 2026, but due to the severe weather event over the weekend, the hearing was cancelled. All testimony previously submitted will be available to the committee and posted on the Legislature's website prior to the hearing and therefore, does not need to be resubmitted. New testimony will be accepted.
|
RELATING TO CONSUMER PROTECTION. Prohibits the sale of tickets at higher price than the original price charged by the primary venue ticket provider for events held in the State. Permits the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to adopt rules to impose fines for any violations. Repeals provisions relating to ticket brokers.
|
WLA, CPN/JDC |
|
|
RELATING TO THE STRENGTHEN HAWAII HOMES PROGRAM. Establishes the Strengthen Hawaii Homes Program under the Department of Land and Natural Resources to award grants for qualified mitigation projects to mitigate against loss from fire. Provides eligibility criteria for residential property owners to receive grants and guidelines for contractors and assessors to perform work on mitigation projects. Establishes the Strengthen Hawaii Homes Revolving Fund. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.
|
WLA, WAM/JDC |
|
|
RELATING TO COMMUNITY CO-MANAGEMENT AGREEMENTS. Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources and community-based organizations to enter into community co-management agreements concerning state lands. Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources to dispose state land through community co-management agreements. Establishes qualifications for community-based organizations that may enter into community co-management agreements.
|
WLA, JDC |
|
|
RELATING TO THE STATE PARKS SPECIAL FUND. Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources to expend the moneys from the State Parks Special Fund for programs aimed at environmental protection.
|
WLA, WAM |
|
|
RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. Requires the Hawaii Community Development Authority to establish a Community Action Center in Chinatown. Expenditure contingent upon the City and County of Honolulu providing matching funds. Appropriation.
|
WLA, WAM |
|
|
RELATING TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. Requires each county, in collaboration with the Hawaii Community Development Authority to establish a Summer Streets Pilot Program that closes vehicular traffic and repurposes roads for pedestrian and cyclist use, outdoor events, and other community-driven activities. Requires each county to submit an initial proposal to the Hawaii Community Development Authority. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.
|
WLA, WAM |
|
|
RELATING TO THE USE OF PUBLIC LANDS. Defines public uses of public lands as uses by an agency either directly or through disposition, that support the agency's functions including but not limited to the uses described in section 171-10, HRS.
|
WLA, JDC |
|
|
RELATING TO THE STATE ARCHIVES. Appropriates funds for the planning, designing, environmental studies, site evaluation and selection studies, and permitting conducted relative to a new facility for the State Archives.
|
WLA, WAM |
|
|
RELATING TO PUBLIC LAND. Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources to acquire, through eminent domain or otherwise, the leasehold interest in the parcel identified as tax map key: (3) 2-1-001:012 and currently used as the Grand Naniloa Golf Course. Authorizes the Board of Land and Natural Resources to approve a new use for the parcel after providing an opportunity for public testimony. Appropriates moneys.
|
WLA, WAM |
|
|
RELATING TO COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources, by 7/1/2028, to establish the Hawaii Coastal Resilience Acquisition and Leaseback Program. Establishes the Coastal Resilience Revolving Fund. Clarifies the calculation of acquisition price for coastal properties, the conditions of leasebacks, and the limitation to liability assumed by the Department of Land and Natural Resources under the Hawaii Coastal Resilience Acquisition and Leaseback Program.
|
WLA, WAM/JDC |
|
|
RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES. Establishes a criminal penalty and monetary fines for aquarium fishing violations. Clarifies that each fish or aquatic life specimen taken in violation of certain fishing laws regarding aquarium fish and the possession and use of prohibited explosives, electrofishing devices, and poisonous substances constitutes a separate offense.
|
WLA, JDC |
|
|
RELATING TO FISHING. Prohibits the use of jug line fishing and other jug rig variant fishing methods in state waters.
|
WLA, JDC |
|
|
RELATING TO MARINE LIFE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS. Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources to close all or portions of any marine life conservation district for various periods of time and to adopt rules for the regulation of commercial activity within a marine life conservation district.
|
WLA, CPN |
|
|
RELATING TO MARINE LIFE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish and conduct a Marine Life Conservation District Carrying Capacity Program. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to submit a report to the Legislature and adopt administrative rules. Appropriates funds.
|
WLA, WAM |
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
_____________________________________ Senator Chris Lee Chair |
|
|
|
|