HawaiiHawaii penalizes serious, unauthorized damage to state or county trees
Hawaii treats intentional or knowing damage to state or county trees without permission as a crime when serious, excludes damage through fire, and requires replacement payments after conviction.
What it does
Intentionally or knowingly causing serious damage to a tree on Hawaii state or county property without permission is a misdemeanor. Damage caused by fire is excluded.
People convicted must also pay the State or county the tree’s replacement value. A tree expert chosen by the responsible government agency sets that value.
Argument forReplacement-value payments could help Hawaii and its counties recover losses when someone seriously damages their trees without permission.
Argument againstPeople convicted could face a large financial burden because they must pay the tree’s replacement value in addition to criminal penalties.
More detail
People who commit this tree-damage offense are guilty of a misdemeanor, a criminal offense. The offense covers cutting down, injuring, or destroying trees growing or standing on Hawaii state or county property, or substantially damaging their potential value. The person must act intentionally or knowingly, without the State’s or county’s consent. The damage must substantially reduce the tree’s value or potential value. Damage caused by fire is excluded from this offense. The law took effect upon approval on June 24, 2026.
A person convicted must pay the State or county the tree’s replacement value. A tree expert, called an arborist, chosen by the responsible state or county agency determines the replacement value. The payment applies after conviction for this tree-damage offense and comes in addition to criminal penalties. The payment requirement took effect upon approval on June 24, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 24Act 128, 06/24/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1229).Latest
- Jun 24Act 128, on 06/24/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1229).Became Law
- May 8Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).Minor
- May 8Enrolled to Governor.To Governor
- May 6Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 3 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella). Excused, 0 (none).Major
- Vote recorded Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1. Result: pass.Lower
- May 6Passed 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).Major
- May 6Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).Minor
- Apr 29The 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.Minor
- Vote recorded The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 29The 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.Minor
- Apr 29Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 57-26).
- Apr 2948 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26.
- Apr 29Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 57-26) as amended in (CD 1).
- Apr 29Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
- Apr 28Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 840).Minor
- Apr 28Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-29-26 10:16AM; Conference Room 016.
- Apr 27Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 761).Minor
- Apr 27House Conferees Appointed: Tarnas Chair; Poepoe, Garcia.
- Apr 24Senate Conferees Appointed: McKelvey Chair; Rhoads Co-Chair; DeCorte.
- Apr 16Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 723).Minor
- Apr 16Senate disagrees with House amendments.Minor
- Apr 16Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).Minor
- Apr 14Passed 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.Passed House
- Vote recorded Passed Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 9Reported 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.
- Vote recorded Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1; placed on the calendar for Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 9Passed 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).
- Mar 18The 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.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 16Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Wednesday, 03-18-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Mar 12Pass First ReadingMinor
- Mar 12Referred to JHA, referral sheet 17Minor
- Mar 10Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 2 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 10Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 334) in amended form (SD 1).Minor
- Mar 6Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3044) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading.
- Mar 6One Day Notice 03-10-26.
- Mar 4The 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.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 24The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-04-26 9:40AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference.
- Feb 19Reported from GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2417) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.
- Feb 19Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.Minor
- Feb 10The 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.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 5The committee(s) on GVO deferred the measure until 02-10-26 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.Minor
- Feb 2The committee(s) on GVO has scheduled a public hearing on 02-05-26 3:01PM; CR 225 & Videoconference.
- Jan 30Referred to GVO, JDC.Minor
- Jan 26Passed First Reading.Minor
- Jan 23Introduced.Introduced
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