# Hawaii HB 256: RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.

Hawaii HB 256, RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by Scot Z. Matayoshi (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-04-02 (Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB256-2026
- 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 256
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-16
- Last action: 2026-04-02, Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457).
- Sponsor: Scot Z. Matayoshi (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Waste-to-energy Facility, Emissions, Standards, Air Pollution Control Permit, HHS/AEN, CPN
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 8 (141 yes, 6 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Requires an owner or operator of a waste-to-energy facility to comply with certain United States Environmental Protection Agency regulations for emission limitations as they existed on 12/31/2024, unless emission limitations are made more stringent by federal regulations or by the state air pollution control permit issued to that owner or operator by the Department of Health. Sunsets 6/30/2027. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Scot Z. Matayoshi (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Cory M. Chun (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-08 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 23 | 2 |   |
| 2025-04-01 | Senate | The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The... | pass | 4 | 1 |   |
| 2025-03-12 | Senate | The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-12 | Senate | The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 1 |   |
| 2025-03-04 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 48 | 1 |   |
| 2025-02-20 | House | The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 7 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-14 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC... | pass | 46 | 1 |   |
| 2025-02-13 | House | The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |

## Actions (35)

- 2026-04-02: Received notice of the discharge of all House Conferees (Hse. Com. No. 457). (Senate)
- 2026-04-01: House Conferee(s) discharged. (House)
- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-04-15: Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 732). (Senate)
- 2025-04-14: House Conferees Appointed: Lowen, Matayoshi Co-Chairs; Kapela, Perruso, Pierick. (House)
- 2025-04-11: Received notice of disagreement (Hse. Com. No. 704). (Senate)
- 2025-04-10: House disagrees with Senate amendment (s). (House)
- 2025-04-08: Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 2 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2025-04-08: Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 610) in amended form (SD 1). (House)
- 2025-04-04: Reported from CPN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1723) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-04-04: One Day Notice 04-08-25. (Senate)
- 2025-04-01: The committee(s) on CPN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in CPN were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fukunaga, McKelvey, Richards; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-03-28: The committee on CPN has added the measure to decision making scheduled on 04-01-25 10:07AM; CR 229 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-03-19: Reported from HHS/AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1162) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to CPN. (Senate)
- 2025-03-19: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to CPN. (Senate)
- 2025-03-12: The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Aquino, Hashimoto, Keohokalole, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-03-12: The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in AEN were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, Richards, DeCoite, Rhoads; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: The committee(s) on HHS/AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 03-12-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 203). (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to HHS/AEN, CPN. (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia voting no (1) and Representative(s) Pierick, Ward excused (2). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2025-02-28: Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1050) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading. (House)
- 2025-02-28: Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-04-25. (House)
- 2025-02-20: The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Chun, Ichiyama, Kong, Marten, Tam; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Iwamoto; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Ilagan, Lowen, Pierick. (House)
- 2025-02-19: The committee(s) on CPC recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-20-25 2:00PM. (House)
- 2025-02-19: Bill scheduled for decision making on Thursday, 02-20-25 2:00PM in conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-02-14: Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 766) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC. (House)
- 2025-02-14: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4). (House)
- 2025-02-14: Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Wednesday, 02-19-25 2:00PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-02-13: The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Kahaloa, Kusch; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Quinlan, Ward. (House)
- 2025-02-07: Bill scheduled to be heard by EEP on Thursday, 02-13-25 10:15AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-01-21: Referred to EEP, CPC, referral sheet 1 (House)
- 2025-01-17: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2025-01-16: Pending introduction. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB256_SD1_.pdf)
- HB256_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB256_HD1_.HTM)
- HB256_HD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB256_HD2_.HTM)
- HB256_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB256_SD1_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB256_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB256_.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB256_SD1_.pdf)
- [HB256_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB256_HD1_.HTM)
- [HB256_HD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB256_HD2_.HTM)
- [HB256_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB256_SD1_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB256_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB256_.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [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 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2021-2026)
- [SB 2964: RELATING TO PROPERTY INSURANCE.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2964-2026)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB256-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).