Bill > SB197

This bill establishes enhanced public notice and community approval requirements for land use changes and construction projects by four key state entities: the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Land Use Commission, and the University of Hawaii. For each proposed project, these agencies must provide comprehensive public notice within thirty days of filing a permit application, including publishing notices in local newspapers, mailing notices to nearby residences, posting notices at project sites, and publishing notices on their websites. The agencies must also conduct at least three public meetings within four months of the permit application and, critically, obtain community approval through a referendum. For most projects, only adult residents within five miles of the proposed project can vote, with any project failing to receive majority approval being automatically denied. For projects within the Mauna Kea science reserve, the referendum would involve all adult residents of the county where the reserve is located. The bill appropriates funds to each agency to cover the costs of implementing these new public notice and referendum requirements, with the goal of increasing transparency and community involvement in significant land use decisions. The legislative findings suggest these requirements are motivated by past controversies surrounding construction projects that lacked adequate community input.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=197&year=2026