# Hawaii HB 738: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

Hawaii HB 738, RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1) House bill sponsored by Luke A. Evslin (Democratic); status in committee, last action 2025-02-13 (Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 600) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to JHA.) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB738-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii HB 738
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1)
- Title: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
- Status: in committee
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2025-02-13, Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 600) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to JHA.
- Sponsor: Luke A. Evslin (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 9
- Subjects: Historic Preservation, County-designated Transit-oriented Development, SHPD Review, Historic Property, HSG, WAL, JHA
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Creates a process for expediting the review of majority-residential mixed-use transit-oriented development or residential transit-oriented development on certain parcels within county-designated transit-oriented development zones that have a low risk of affecting historically significant resources. Authorizes lead agencies, including county governments, to make determinations on the potential effects of a project. Creates a ninety-day limit, or thirty-day if no historic property is to be affected, to concur or not concur with project effect determinations. Exempts projects with written concurrence from further review unless there is a change to the project or additional historic properties, aviation artifacts, or burial sites are identified within the project area. Establishes notice and reporting requirements if there is a change to the project or additional historic properties, aviation artifacts, or burial sites are identified within the project area after the initial written concurrence. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Luke A. Evslin (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Terez Amato (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Nicole E. Lowen (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Lisa Marten (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Dee Morikawa (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Nadine K. Nakamura (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kanani Souza (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Gregg Takayama (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Adrian K. Tam (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: David A. Tarnas (Democratic), House

## Actions (14)

- 2025-02-13: Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 600) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to JHA. (House)
- 2025-02-13: Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on JHA as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kitagawa, Ward excused (3). (House)
- 2025-02-11: The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Lamosao, Belatti, Ichiyama, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Iwamoto; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none. (House)
- 2025-02-07: Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Tuesday, 02-11-25 10:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-02-06: Reported from HSG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 239) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to WAL. (House)
- 2025-02-06: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on WAL with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Muraoka, Pierick voting no (2) and Representative(s) Ward excused (1). (House)
- 2025-01-31: The committee on HSG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Evslin, Miyake, Grandinetti, Kila, La Chica; Ayes with reservations: none; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Muraoka, Pierick; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Kitagawa. (House)
- 2025-01-28: Bill scheduled to be heard by HSG on Friday, 01-31-25 9:15AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-01-27: Re-referred to HSG, WAL, JHA, referral sheet 4 (House)
- 2025-01-27: This measure has been deleted from the meeting scheduled on Tuesday 01-28-25 9:00AM in conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-01-24: Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Tuesday, 01-28-25 9:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-01-21: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2025-01-21: Referred to WAL, HSG, JHA, referral sheet 2 (House)
- 2025-01-17: Pending introduction. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB738_HD2_.pdf)
- HB738_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB738_HD1_.HTM)
- HB738_HD2: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB738_HD2_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB738_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB738_.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 572: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES. (signed)
- SB 1296: RELATING TO DISASTER RECOVERY. (signed)
- HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS. (signed)
- HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB738_HD2_.pdf)
- [HB738_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB738_HD1_.HTM)
- [HB738_HD2 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB738_HD2_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB738_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB738_.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 572: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB572-2025)
- [HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB431-2025)
- [HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB420-2025)
- [SB 1296: RELATING TO DISASTER RECOVERY.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1296-2025)
- [HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB830-2025)
- [HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1064-2025)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB738-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).