# Hawaii HB 1979: RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.

Hawaii HB 1979, RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by Nicole E. Lowen (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-03-20 (The committee on EIG deferred the measure.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1979-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii HB 1979
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-23
- Last action: 2026-03-20, The committee on EIG deferred the measure.
- Sponsor: Nicole E. Lowen (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 11
- Subjects: Environmental Review, Affordable Housing Projects, Clean Energy Projects, Judicial Proceedings, Supreme Court, Appeals, Transfer, AEN/WLA/EIG, JDC
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 5 (114 yes, 9 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Shortens the period during which certain judicial proceedings involving environmental assessments and environmental impact statements on actions that propose the use of land for, or construction of, affordable housing or clean energy projects must be initiated. Specifies that appeals from environmental courts that involve actions that propose the use of land for, or construction of, affordable housing or clean energy projects meet one of the grounds for transfer to the Supreme Court. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD3)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Nicole E. Lowen (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Luke A. Evslin (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Greggor Ilagan (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kirstin Kahaloa (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Matthias Kusch (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Mike Lee (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: M.
- Cosponsor: Dee Morikawa (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Nadine K. Nakamura (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Ikaika Olds (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Amy A. Perruso (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Adrian K. Tam (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-10 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 43 | 7 |   |
| 2026-03-05 | House | The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 5 | 2 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | House | The committee on HSG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 9 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-05 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on HSG... | pass | 50 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-03 | House | The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 7 | 0 |   |

## Actions (23)

- 2026-03-20: The committee on EIG deferred the measure. (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: The committee on WLA deferred the measure. (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: The committee on AEN deferred the measure. (Senate)
- 2026-03-17: The committee(s) on AEN/WLA/EIG has scheduled a public hearing on 03-20-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 224 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 333). (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Referred to AEN/WLA/EIG, JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 3 with Representative(s) Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato, Cochran, Grandinetti, Hussey, Iwamoto, Perruso, Poepoe voting no (7) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2026-03-06: Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1204-26) as amended in HD 3, recommending passage on Third Reading. (House)
- 2026-03-06: Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-10-26. (House)
- 2026-03-05: The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Kahaloa, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Garcia, Shimizu; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Poepoe, Cochran; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Hashem, Sayama. (House)
- 2026-03-03: Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 03-05-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-02-19: Reported from HSG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 580-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to JHA. (House)
- 2026-02-19: Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on JHA as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Amato, Cochran, Garcia, Muraoka, Perruso, Poepoe voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). (House)
- 2026-02-13: The committee on HSG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Evslin, Miyake, Kila, Kitagawa, La Chica, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Cochran, Grandinetti, Muraoka; Noes: none; and Excused: none. (House)
- 2026-02-10: Bill scheduled to be heard by HSG on Friday, 02-13-26 9:00AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-02-05: Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 28-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to HSG. (House)
- 2026-02-05: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on HSG with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Woodson excused (1). (House)
- 2026-02-03: The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Chun, Kahaloa, Kusch, Quinlan, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none. (House)
- 2026-01-30: Bill scheduled to be heard by EEP on Tuesday, 02-03-26 9:30AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-01-28: Referred to EEP, HSG, JHA, referral sheet 3 (House)
- 2026-01-26: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2026-01-23: Pending introduction. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1979_HD3_.pdf)
- HB1979_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1979_HD1_.HTM)
- HB1979_HD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1979_HD2_.HTM)
- HB1979_HD3: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1979_HD3_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1979_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1979_.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1979_HD3_.pdf)
- [HB1979_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1979_HD1_.HTM)
- [HB1979_HD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1979_HD2_.HTM)
- [HB1979_HD3 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1979_HD3_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1979_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1979_.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2021-2026)
- [SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2344-2026)
- [HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2023-2026)
- [HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1979-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).