Senate Standing Committee on Economic Development and Tourism

Aloha and welcome to the joint hearing with the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, Energy, and Intergovernmental Affairs. Today's Thursday, February 12, 2026, and this is our 1pm agenda. And we are in Conference Room 229. This hearing is being streamed live on YouTube.

In the unlikely event that we must abruptly end this hearing due to technical difficulties, the committee will reconvene Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 1pm in Conference Room 229. This agenda is three bills. I did not thank my Co-Chair. Not Co-Chair. My Chair of Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs for joining me.

Happy to be here. Wouldn't wanna be anywhere else.

So this agenda has three bills. First bill up is Senate Bill 2278, relating to light. First up, Jason Omick testifying for DLNR in person. Hello.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair. Let's see. My name is Jason Omick. I'm with the Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Department of Land and Natural Resources, here on behalf of the Chair. We stand by our testimony with comments on this measure, and I'm available for any questions you guys may have.

Thank you. Next up, Department of Education, Keith Hayashi in person with comments. Next up, Doug Simons testifying for University of Hawaii on Zoom.

Aloha, Chairs. And I have a few, UH has a few comments to offer on Senate Bill 2278, relating to outdoor lighting and light pollution. SB 2278 in its current form conflicts with the scientific findings and statewide recommendations of the Dark Skies Protection Advisory Committee and could be detrimental to wildlife protection, public health, and cultural practices. And in the interest of time, I'm just going to point out a few of the specific concerns that we've listed our testimony.

Probably the main one is the so called corrected color temperature of the proposed bill is 4,000 degrees, and we recommend 3,000 or less to minimize the amount of blue light that is projected upwards into the sky. Also recommend adopting uplight standards statewide and particularly in wildlife zones.

The adoption of certain limits on the total amount of light, the number of lumens allowed, adaptive controls like motion sensors, and in particular, for turtle safe zones, what's called DE amber LED lights. So these are lights that essentially emit no blue light whatsoever. So with that, the university stands on its testimony. Mahalo.

Thank you. Next up, Tina Yamaki on Zoom with Hawaii Transportation Association.

Not present on Zoom, Chair.

In opposition. Thank you. Winston Welch testifying for Outdoor Circle in support. Johnnie-Mae L. Perry, individual in support, and Andy Kagemoto in support. Anybody else wishing to testify on the measure? Seeing none.

Oh, this gentleman.

Oh, sorry. Go ahead.

Honorable Senate Committee. My name is Eric Miyasato. I'm a licensed PE in the state of Hawaii. I have been in the lighting industry for approximately 32 years. I attend Illuminating Engineering Society meetings on street and area lighting. I was made aware of SB 2278 and SB 2987 this week. SB 2278 calls for 4,000 k color temperature. SB 2987 calls for 3,000 k color temperature and has a requirement for curfew hours on commercial and residential with lights either off or 75% reduced light output.

It also calls for dimming of automatic by automatic controls. There's a section, turtle lighting, Section G. But Section H, I, and J has restrictions on lumen output of fixtures. That section seems to, it should have been fall under Section G under turtles. Has the committee discussed these bills with the design community, architects, and engineers on how it will affect design and safety of a project?

Is there a defined turtle nesting area for each island? Would Honolulu Harbor, Pearl Harbor fall under the turtle requirement when there are only concrete docks? I hope the committee considers both wildlife and design communities in drafting a new ordinance that is workable and sustainable. Thank you.

Thank you. Anybody else wishing to testify? Seeing none. Any questions? Okay.

Just, we're moving on. Next up is, sorry, next up, Senate Bill 2908 relating to permitting. First up, Mary Alice Evans on behalf of Hawaii Office of Planning and Sustainable Development. Hello.

Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair, members of the committee. Reginald King, Office of Planning and Sustainable Development. The office stands on our written testimony and comments and available for questions.

Thank you. Next up, Leialoha Makuanani testifying for Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Aloha. Leialoha Makuanani, Office of Hawaiian Affairs. We'll stand on our written comments, available for questions tomorrow.

Thank you. Next up, Lauren Zirbel, this one for Hawaii Food Industry Association on Zoom.

Good afternoon, Chairs. I'm Alexis Chapman for HFIA. We stand on our written testimony and support, and I'd be happy to answer any questions. Thank you.

Thank you. Next up, Sherry Menor testifying for Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii in support. Matt Proberg testifying for Hololomew Collaborative in support. And Maui Chamber of Commerce in support. Anyone, oh, hang on. Sorry. Angela Young on Zoom.

Not present on Zoom, Chair.

In support. Thank you. Anyone else wishing to testify on this measure? Seeing none. Any questions?

Okay. I have a question for Office of Planning. Did you guys have any input into the bill's recommendation to develop a statewide permitting intake platform?

So our only input was through the SPEED Task Force, and I'm the coordinator for the SPEED Task Force. And we did talk about this within the task force, and we felt that it's better fit the counties that have all the information on the permitting regulations to handle this.

If that was the case, is the appropriation enough to develop a statewide permitting intake platform?

I can't answer that at this time, but I can go back to the office.

Thank you. Any other questions? Thank you. Thank you. Next up, Senate Bill 2987 relating to light pollution.

First up, Department of Education, Keith Hayashi in person in support. Jason Olmeg testifying for Department of Land and Natural Resource.

Aloha, Chair, Vice Chair, Members of the Committee. My name is Jason Omick with DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife here on behalf of the chair, and we stand by our testimony for bill 2987 with comments on the measure. And, I'll be available for questions here today.

Thank you. Next up, Doug Simons for University of Hawaii.

Aloha, chairs. Doug Simons from the Institute for Astronomy at the University of Hawaii, the University of Hawaii strongly supports Senate Bill 2987, which establishes statewide outdoor lighting requirements to protect Hawaii's dark sky dark night skies, safeguard native wildlife, reduce energy waste, and preserve the cultural and scientific value of natural darkness across the islands. Again, in the interest of time, I'll simply point out the proposed amendment that the university would like to offer. This would go under section e of the bill in its current form.

And in essence, what is proposing is for university, college, and school campuses that there be identified what we call primary, secondary, tertiary zones, essentially tuning the extent to which a light control is used to depend depending on the amount of foot traffic and safety considerations at each campus. Mahalo for your kind attention.

Thank you. Next up, Winston Welch on Zoom with Outdoor Circle.

Not present on Zoom chair.

Thank you. Next up, Tina Yamaki, also on Zoom.

Not present on Zoom.

Thank you. In opposition, Matson Navigation Company with comments. Krishna Kagal for young brothers with comments. Elie Haggi Gjonsen, Mauna Kea Observatory is in support. Tina Halfpenny testifying for Design Lights.

Consortium in support. Johnny May Al Perry in support. Juan Carlos in support. And Eric Nusaka in opposition. Members, any questions?

Seeing none, a short recess for decision making.

Thank you. We are going to DM on, today's agenda at 01:00. First bill up, Senate bill 2278. Since there were concerns raised with this bill because of its effects on workplace safety and productivity, I recommend that we defer this bill.

In addition, the University of Hawaii's Office of Land and Ocean Conservation and the Dark Skies Advisory Committee are working to create a dark skies protection strategy. So with that, we are going to defer this measure. Second up, Senate Bill 2908 relating to permitting. We have some concerns with this bill. Want to keep this measure alive to have a little more conversation on it.

Let the committee report reflect comments that were made in regards to the speed task force, and then deferring the date to 07/01/2050. Any discussion? Seeing none, Vice Chair for the vote. Chair goes aye.

I vote yes. Senator Fukunaga? Aye. Senator Kim? Aye.

Senator Fevella is excused. Chair, your recommendation is adopted. Thank you. For members of EIG, the same recommendation. Any discussion?

If not, Senator Chang, I vote yes.

Chair's recommendation for the EIG committee on SB 2908 is to pass with amendments. Chair votes yes, vice chair votes aye. Senator DeCoite?

Aye.

Senator Richards is excused. Senator Fevella is excused. Recommendation adopted.

Next up, Senate Bill 2987. We are gonna be passing this with an SD 1 by making any technical and non substantive amendments to address safety concerns raised by the businesses. We're going to make the following amendment to page 8, line 8 through 11 by replacing L with the following language.

Outdoor light fixtures for airports, highways, and harbors shall be exempt from complying with this section and defect the effective date to 07/01/2050. Any questions?

Any discussion, members? Seeing none, Vice Chair for the vote. Chair votes aye.

I vote yes. Senator Fukunaga? Aye. Senator Kim? Aye.

Senator Fevella is excused. Chair, your recommendation is adopted. For members of EIG, same recommendation. Any discussion? If not, Senator Chang, I vote yes.

Chair's recommendation for SB 29 and 87 is to pass with amendments, noting the excuses of Senators Richards and Fevella. Are there any objections or reservations? Seeing none, the recommendation is adopted.

Thank you. And with that, we are adjourned. Thank you.