Policy and Legislation

Over 3,000 bills are introduced each year at the state level. These bills govern everything from how tax payer money is spent to laws that help protect our ocean, waves, and beaches throughout Hawaiʻi. In addition to state-wide legislation, each of the four counties in Hawaiʻi (Kauaʻi, Maui, Hawaiʻi Island, and the City and County of Honolulu/Oʻahu) pass laws that govern action at the County level. Our local chapters on each island lead and prioritize county-level legislation, while state level legislation is a combined effort led by the Hawaiʻi Regional Manager. Below are our 2025 priority bills at the Hawaiʻi state level.

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With nearly 10 million visitors in 2024, the tourism industry is a substantial source of Hawaiʻi’s plastic pollution. This bill prohibits plastic single-use plastic toiletries in hotels, vacation rentals, and other tourist accommodations. Not only would this bill make a sustainable industry standard, but hotels would actually save money in the process by switching to refillable dispensers.

Current Status:

Needs to pass through joint Senate Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection (CPC)/Judiciary (JDC)

Upcoming Hearings:

None scheduled as of 3/19

Past Hearings:

PASSED Through joint Senate Committees on Economic Development and Tourism (EDT)/ Agriculture and Environment (AEN)
PASSED Through House and crossed over to Senate
Read Surfrider’s testimony in SUPPORT here (page 7).

In response to accelerating beach loss and increasing sea levels, this bill updates the state’s beach restoration policy to include managing native vegetation and removing abandoned materials that threaten the ecosystem. This update will make it possible for existing Beach Fund resources to support a broader range of efforts to restore and maintain beaches and dunes.

*Concerning recent amendments we are monitoring.

Current Status:

Needs to pass through Senate Ways and Means Committee

Upcoming Hearings:

None scheduled as of 3/19

Past Hearings:

Passed Senate Water and Land Committee with amendments.
Passed through House and crossed over to Senate.
Read Surfriderʻs testimony in SUPPORT (page 5)

Although Waste-to-Energy Facilities are framed as a step toward a 100% renewable energy future, the reality of these facilities is that they’re harmful to the environment and threaten the cleanliness of our air and water. This bill proposes a public-private partnership that would help fund the construction of multiple trash incinerator facilities across our islands. These facilities produce harmful toxic ash as a byproduct of burning trash for energy, which risks the contamination of our groundwater and our oceans.

Current Status:

Awaiting hearings in the House Energy & Environmental Protection Committee and Finance Committee.
Needs to be heard before second lateral deadline of March 21 to keep moving.

Upcoming Hearings:

None (as of March 19, 2025).

Past Hearings:

Passed through Senate (Energy & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee and Ways & Means Committee) crossed over to House.

The Hawaiʻi Environmental Policy Act (HEPA) is one of the state’s bedrock environmental laws, requiring an analysis of an action or project’s impact on the environment before proceeding. This bill would allow previously permitted projects to continue operating for up to a year before the environmental review process has been completed. Read our testimony here (page 120)

Current Status:

Needs to pass through House Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Upcoming Hearings:

Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at 9:00 AM - EEP/WAL.

Past Hearings:

Passed through Senate (Water & Land Committee / Agriculture & Environment Committee and Judiciary Committee) and crossed over to House.

Hawaii’s 88,000 cesspools are one of the biggest threats to water quality across the state, discharging 53 mgd sewage into coastal waters. In recent years, Surfrider has played a key role in successfully urging the state government to finally move away from relying on these antiquated and ineffective systems for managing household wastewater. A state-level Cesspool Task Force has been established to develop a workable plan for getting all Hawaii residents off of cesspools by 2050 that includes identifying priority areas for conversion and recommendations for new treatment options. While this work is ongoing, Surfrider has been supporting new legislation every year to further the state’s progress towards meeting the 2050 goal.

Hawai‘i can save cesspool owners and governments money by adopting cost-effective wastewater solutions without compromising water quality. Solving Hawaiʻi’s wastewater problem will require innovation. These bills establish a three-year pilot program at the University of Hawaiʻi Water Resources Research Center to test sustainable wastewater solutions.

Current Status:

HB 736: Needs to pass through Senate and Senate Committee on Ways and Means.
SB 1232: Needs to pass through House Committee on Finance

Upcoming Hearings:

None scheduled as of 3/19

Past Hearings:

HB 736:

Passed Senate join Committee on Higher Education/Committee on Agriculture and Environment
Passed out of House (Committee on Finance, House Committee on Higher Education, and House Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection) crossed over to senate

SB 1232:

Passed House Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection
Passed out of Senate (Committee on Ways and Means, Senate Committee on Higher Education, and Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment) crossed over to House.

The conversion of cesspools is necessary to protect the health of our state’s water resources, but conversion can be expensive. This bill requires the Hawaiʻi Department of Health to collaborate with consultants and industry experts to update regulations related to wastewater systems and cesspool conversions. These changes would help make wastewater system upgrades more affordable and efficient, and improve water quality in a way that benefits human health and our precious reef systems.

Current Status:

Awaiting hearing in Senate Ways & Means Committee

Upcoming Hearings:

None scheduled as of 3/19

Past Hearings:

Passed joint Senate Committee on Health & Human Services/Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment
Passed out of House (Committee on Energy and Environmental Protection, Committee on Water and Land, Committee on Finance) crossed over to House.

When a bill is scheduled for hearing, you may submit testimony. First you must register on the Capitol website here to create a log-in account. Along with testimony, log-in accounts also allow users to track individual bills and to receive hearing notifications by email.

Registration requires the following information: your name, email, and a password for the log-in account. After creating your account for the Hawaiʻi State Legislature website, you may submit your testimony on any bill you want!

Follow these testimony tips to make the most impact!

Make it personal- Tell a story of how this measure impacts you.
Back it up with evidence or data- Even if that data is your own personal observations
Leverage other testimony- Take a look at previous testimony submitted on the bill page under 'Testimony' on the right for help on crafting your talking points.
Submit 24 hours PRIOR to the hearing to ensure your testimony gets reviewed by the committee

When you are ready to submit testimony, follow these steps:

Login to your account
Click the “submit testimony” button
Enter bill or measure #
Click “Support”
Enter your affiliation
Select method (written / in person / zoom)
Attach or enter testimony

SB 534 and HB 605 are part of an Office of Hawaiian Affairs proposal for Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority to approve residential development in the Kakaʻako Makai area. If approved, it would allow other parcel owners to build similar 400 foot towers along Ala Moana Blvd. In 2006, lawmakers banned residential development on lands makai of Ala Moana Boulevard. This bill would lift that restriction.

This area has complex environmental concerns- history as garbage incinerator and dump site, labeled a “contaminated brownfield” by EPA. Disruption from construction of such areas, especially for structural supports for 400ft towers, will likely result in seepage of these contaminants into surrounding recreational waters (e.g. Kewalo Basin, Ala Moana Beach Park, Sand Island, etc.) and impact marine life (consumable) and protected species (e.g. green sea turtles, monk seals, dolphins, etc.) that frequent the coastal area.

Current Status:

DEFFERED on 2/28 in Senate Ways and Means and Judiciary Committees.

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Policy and Legislation

Phase out small plastic toiletry bottles in lodging establishments: HB 348

Expand definition of Beach Restoration: HB 1137

Waste-to-Energy Facilities: SB 964-OPPOSE

Changes to Environmental Review Process: SB 1074-OPPOSE

Our Goal- Reduce the Impact of Cesspools on Coastal Waters in Hawaiʻi

Fund UH to evaluate affordable wastewater technologies: HB 736/ SB 1232

Making Cesspool Conversion More Affordable: HB734

Learn how to submit testimony!

2025 VICTORIES

Beach Access

VICTORY- Protect free parking and ocean access at Ala Wai Boat Harbor, Stop SB 364

Save Kakaʻako Makai, Stop SB 534/HB 605- Oppose!