# Hawaii SB 161: RELATING TO COUNTY PERMITTING AND INSPECTION.

Hawaii SB 161, RELATING TO COUNTY PERMITTING AND INSPECTION., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1) Senate bill sponsored by Stanley Chang (Democratic); status in committee, last action 2025-02-11 (Reported from EIG/GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 220) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB161-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 161
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1)
- Title: RELATING TO COUNTY PERMITTING AND INSPECTION.
- Status: in committee
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-13
- Last action: 2025-02-11, Reported from EIG/GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 220) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
- Sponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Subjects: State Agencies, Counties, State Projects, County Building Permit Requirements, Exemption, Public Disclosure, Programmatic or Project-Specific Agreements, Cooperative Working Groups, Report, EIG/GVO, WAM
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Allows state projects to be exempt from county building permit requirements under certain conditions. Requires all exempted state projects to be included in a report that is regularly made available to the public. Allows state agencies that undertake projects to be dedicated to a county to prepare programmatic or project-specific agreements that establish requirements and standards for review and acceptance if the agency wants the project to be exempted. Allows state agencies that want to be exempted from county permitting processes to establish a cooperative working group. Requires cooperative working groups to submit an interim report to the Legislature before the Regular Session of 2026. Effective 5/13/2040. (SD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Troy N. Hashimoto (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Dru Mamo Kanuha (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: SAN BUENAVENTURA

## Actions (10)

- 2025-02-11: Reported from EIG/GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 220) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-11: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EIG were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Wakai, Chang, DeCoite, Richards, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in GVO were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) McKelvey, Moriwaki, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Gabbard, San Buenaventura. (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: The committee(s) on EIG deferred the measure until 02-04-25 3:00PM; CR 016. (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: The committee(s) on GVO deferred the measure until 02-04-25 3:00PM; CR 225. (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: The committee(s) on EIG/GVO has scheduled a public hearing on 01-30-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Referred to EIG/GVO, WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-15: Introduced and passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-13: Pending Introduction. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB161_SD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB161_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB161_.PDF)
- SB161_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB161_SD1_.HTM)

## 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/SB161_SD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB161_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB161_.PDF)
- [SB161_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB161_SD1_.HTM)

## 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)
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- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB161-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).