HawaiiHawaii allows private leasing at Ala Wai harbor with public improvements
Hawaii allows private leasing of part of Ala Wai harbor after separating areas where the state must improve public spaces, parking, and shoreline access.
What it does
State officials may lease part of Ala Wai harbor for private development and operation after separating the public improvement area. Any lease must end by June 30, 2046.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources must improve Ala Wai harbor's public spaces, ensure meaningful public parking, and provide safe shoreline access between Ala Moana and Waikiki.
State boating workers in civil service jobs whose work is replaced keep their employment status and receive other work within the division, with pay and benefits protected.
State boating lease rules do not use section 200-2.6's separate list of Ala Wai parcels. The general rule still allows leases for private development, management, and operation.
Argument forRequired parking and shoreline path improvements could help residents and visitors reach the water more safely and enjoy public spaces.
Argument againstA directly negotiated harbor lease without certain notice and legislative approval requirements could give residents fewer chances to scrutinize the deal.
More detail
The Board of Land and Natural Resources may lease the remaining harbor area for private development, management, and operation. The lease may cover land and underwater areas within the remaining portion of Ala Wai small boat harbor. Harbor boundaries must first separate the public improvement area from the area available for lease. The board may use a public auction, competing proposals, or direct negotiation. The lease is exempt from the notice and legislative approval requirements of sections 171-53(c) and 171-60(a). The Department of Land and Natural Resources must recommend annually whether to continue, change, or end the lease. The law takes effect upon approval. This lease authority expires June 30, 2046. Reports are due no later than 20 days before each regular legislative session.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources must develop and carry out a project to improve public areas and shoreline access. The project includes Parcel A and areas along Holomoana Street from Ala Moana Boulevard to Kahanamoku Street, including Parcel D and the Ala Moana Bowls parking lot. The project must ensure meaningful public parking within and nearest to the Ala Moana Bowls parking lot. A shoreline path must provide safe, comfortable access for different ways of traveling between Ala Moana beach park and Waikiki beach. The requirement takes effect upon approval. No project completion deadline is stated.
Affected civil service employees must keep their employment status and be reassigned within the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation. These protections cover permanent and temporary civil service employees in the state's boating division whose work is replaced because of the law. Reassignment must preserve pay, earned leave, service credits, and other employment rights. Seniority protections have exceptions under applicable union agreements. Later status changes may occur under civil service and pay laws. These protections apply when employees' work is replaced because of the law.
The separate Ala Wai parcel-list rule in section 200-2.6 does not apply under this law. The related general rule covers state boating facilities, including small boat harbors, launching ramps, and moorings. The general boating lease rule still names public auctions, competing proposals, and direct negotiation under section 171-59 and chapter 190D. These provisions take effect upon approval.
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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 4Act 072, 06/03/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1172).Latest
- Jun 4Act 072, on 06/03/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1172).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, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Elefante. Noes, 0 (none). 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) Iwamoto, Pierick voting no (2) and Representative(s) Alcos excused (1).Major
- May 6Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).Minor
- May 1Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 210-26).
- May 148 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26.
- May 1Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 210-26) as amended in (CD 1).
- May 1Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
- Apr 30The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Moriwaki, Lamosao; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.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 30The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Morikawa, Tam, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.Minor
- Apr 29Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-30-26 9:00AM; Conference Room 229.
- Apr 28Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-29-26 9:01AM; Conference Room 229.
- Apr 27Senate Conferees Appointed: Lee, C. Chairs; Moriwaki Co-Chair; Lamosao.
- Apr 27Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 783).Minor
- Apr 23House Conferees Appointed: Hashem, Morikawa Co-Chairs; Tam, Shimizu.
- Apr 23Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 816).Minor
- Apr 16Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 649).Minor
- Apr 16Senate disagrees with House amendments.Minor
- Apr 16Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 710).Minor
- Apr 14Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Iwamoto, Reyes Oda voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.Passed House
- Vote recorded Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 10Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2144-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
- Apr 10Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 04-14-26.
- Apr 8The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Perruso; and Excused: none.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 6Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Wednesday, 04-08-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Mar 30Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1520-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
- Vote recorded Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 30Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4).Minor
- Mar 24The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Morikawa, Ichiyama, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Poepoe; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Iwamoto; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 20Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Tuesday, 03-24-26 9:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
- Mar 12Pass First ReadingMinor
- Mar 12Referred to WAL, FIN, referral sheet 17Minor
- Mar 10Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Elefante, Rhoads. Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 10Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 218) in amended form (SD 2).Minor
- Mar 6Reported from WAM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2931) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading, as amended (SD 2).
- Mar 648 Hrs. Notice 03-10-26.
- Mar 3The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 12 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, DeCoite, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Richards, Wakai; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Elefante ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 27The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 03-03-26 10:17AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
- Feb 20Reported from WLA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2682) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
- Feb 20Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.Minor
- Feb 18The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WLA were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Inouye, Lamosao, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Chang.Minor
- Vote recorded The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 13The committee(s) on WLA deferred the measure until 02-18-26 1:02PM; CR 224 & Videoconference.Minor
- Feb 6The committee(s) on WLA deferred the measure until 02-13-26 1:00PM; CR 224 & Videoconference.Minor
- Feb 3The committee(s) on WLA has scheduled a public hearing on 02-06-26 1:00PM; CR 224 & Videoconference.
- Jan 26Referred to WLA, WAM.Minor
- Jan 21Introduced and passed First Reading.Minor
- Jan 16Pending Introduction.Introduced
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