Bills

SB 2983: Criminal Destruction of Trees; State or County Property; Misdemeanor

Session Year: 2025-2026
House: Senate
Latest Version Date: 2026-04-29

Current Status:

Passed

(2026-06-24: Act 128, on 06/24/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1229).)

Introduced

In Committee

First Chamber

In Committee

Second Chamber

Final Decking

Enacted

Version:

Establishes the offense of criminal destruction of a tree on state or county property, punishable as a misdemeanor. (CD1)

Date	Status
Jun 24, 2026	Act 128, on 06/24/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1229).
Jun 24, 2026	Act 128, 06/24/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1229).
May 8, 2026	Enrolled to Governor.
May 8, 2026	Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).
May 6, 2026	Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).
May 6, 2026	Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Cochran, Garcia, Gedeon, Kong, Matsumoto voting no (6) and none excused (0).
May 6, 2026	Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 3 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella). Excused, 0 (none).
Apr 29, 2026	Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
Apr 29, 2026	Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 57-26) as amended in (CD 1).
Apr 29, 2026	48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26.
Apr 29, 2026	Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 57-26).
Apr 29, 2026	The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 2 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Garcia.
Apr 29, 2026	The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) McKelvey, Rhoads; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) DeCorte.
Apr 28, 2026	Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-29-26 10:16AM; Conference Room 016.
Apr 28, 2026	Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 840).
Apr 27, 2026	House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas Chair; Poepoe, Garcia.
Apr 27, 2026	Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 761).
Apr 24, 2026	Senate Conferees Appointed: McKelvey Chair; Rhoads Co-Chair; DeCorte.
Apr 16, 2026	Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).
Apr 16, 2026	Senate disagrees with House amendments.
Apr 16, 2026	Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 723).
Apr 14, 2026	Passed Third Reading with Representative(s) Cochran, Gedeon voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Kong, Matsumoto, Pierick voting no (5) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
Apr 9, 2026	Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading with Representative(s) Gedeon voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Alcos, Garcia, Pierick voting no (3) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1).
Apr 9, 2026	Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1983-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
Mar 18, 2026	The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Kahaloa, Takayama, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Garcia; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Hashem, Sayama, Cochran.
Mar 16, 2026	Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Wednesday, 03-18-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
Mar 12, 2026	Referred to JHA, referral sheet 17
Mar 12, 2026	Pass First Reading
Mar 10, 2026	Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 334) in amended form (SD 1).
Mar 10, 2026	Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 2 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
Mar 6, 2026	One Day Notice 03-10-26.
Mar 6, 2026	Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3044) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
Mar 4, 2026	The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none.
Feb 24, 2026	The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-04-26 9:40AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
Feb 19, 2026	Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.
Feb 19, 2026	Reported from GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2417) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
Feb 10, 2026	The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in GVO were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) McKelvey, Gabbard, Hashimoto, Moriwaki; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none.
Feb 5, 2026	The committee(s) on GVO deferred the measure until 02-10-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
Feb 2, 2026	The committee(s) on GVO has scheduled a public hearing on 02-05-26 3:01PM; CR 225 & Videoconference.
Jan 30, 2026	Referred to GVO, JDC.
Jan 26, 2026	Passed First Reading.
Jan 23, 2026	Introduced.

Date	Description	Location	Votes
May 6, 2026	Final Reading	House Floor	46 6 0 Passed
May 6, 2026	Final Reading	Senate Floor	22 3 0 Passed
Apr 14, 2026	Third Reading	House Floor	46 5 1 Passed
Mar 18, 2026	The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS	House Standing Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs	6 1 3 Passed
Mar 10, 2026	Third Reading	Senate Floor	23 2 0 Passed
Mar 4, 2026	The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED	Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary	4 1 0 Passed
Feb 10, 2026	The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS	Senate Standing Committee on Government Operations	4 1 0 Passed

Key

Pro

Against

Did Not Vote

This list shows positions taken on this bill by organizations on the date displayed, which is linked to the original source.

Positions by individuals are not included.

* Testimony in a hearing

** Position recorded in bill analysis

*** Position recorded in written testimony

Organization	Position	Date
Trees for Honolulu's Future	** Support
Trees for Honolulu’s Future	*** Support	Feb 5, 2026

* Testimony in a hearing

** Position recorded in bill analysis

*** Position recorded in written testimony

SSCR3044 Megan O'Brien-Rene SSCR Ainoa Naniole 2 9 2026-03-05T00:32:00Z 2026-03-07T02:56:00Z 2026-03-07T02:56:00Z 2 221 1200 House of Representatives 21154 58 20 1418 16.00 Print 0 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3044

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2983

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 Judiciary, 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 and intent of this measure is to establish the offense of criminal destruction of a tree on state or county property, punishable as a misdemeanor.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from three individuals.

Your Committee finds that trees offer significant benefits to the State including improving air quality, restoring healthy groundwater, and protecting marine ecosystems. Your Committee believes that increasing loss of tree canopy throughout the State can be mitigated through increased enforcement mechanisms for intentional tree destruction. This measure will ensure trees have the same protection as destruction of any other public property.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2983, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair

SSCR2417 Gregory LaMontagne SSCR Ainoa Naniole 2 10 2026-02-16T19:34:00Z 2026-02-19T01:34:00Z 2026-02-19T01:34:00Z 2 383 2147 House of Representatives 21872 83 24 2530 16.00 Print 110 0 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2417

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2983

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. 2983 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

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

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Trees for Honolulu's Future and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that trees create multiple benefits, including providing shade, lowering temperature through evapotranspiration, recharging groundwater, decreasing surface runoff, trapping pollutants, and storing carbon dioxide. While some of the recent loss of the State's tree canopy may be attributed to legal removal for a variety of reasons, your Committee believes unequivocally that malicious damage that results in the loss of a tree is unacceptable and should be criminally penalized. This measure will create accountability for and deter the illegal destruction of trees on state or county property, helping to preserve natural landscapes that benefit and enrich the State.

Your Committee acknowledges concerns that this measure could unintentionally subject individuals to criminal penalties for removing albizia or other invasive or noxious trees. Accordingly, should your Committee on Judiciary choose to deliberate on the measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it review this issue and consider any necessary amendments to ensure that lawful invasive species removal is not penalized as criminal destruction of trees.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

(2) 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. 2983, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2983, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

________________________________

ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair

Date	Testimony PDF
Mar 18, 2026	SB2983_SD1_TESTIMONY_JHA_03-18-26_.PDF
Mar 3, 2026	SB2983_SD1_TESTIMONY_JDC_03-04-26_.PDF
Feb 5, 2026	SB2983_TESTIMONY_GVO_02-05-26_.PDF

Discussed in Hearing

24SEC

Authors shown for version:
SB2983_CD1 (4/29/2026)

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2983
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII		H.D. 1
		C.D. 1

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2983
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII		H.D. 1

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2983
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2983
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

SB 2983: Criminal Destruction of Trees; State or County Property; Misdemeanor

Current Status:

Senate Floor

Conference Committee

House Standing Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs

Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary

Senate Standing Committee on Government Operations

Senate Standing Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs

Senate Standing Committee on Government Operations