# Hawaii SB 2973: RELATING TO FISHING.

Hawaii SB 2973, RELATING TO FISHING., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Chris Lee (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-03-30 (Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1530-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2973-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 2973
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO FISHING.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-23
- Last action: 2026-03-30, Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1530-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
- Sponsor: Chris Lee (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Subjects: Jug Line Fishing, Jug Rig Variant Fishing Methods, DLNR, DAR, Rules, WAL, JHA
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 5 (83 yes, 5 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Requires the Division of Aquatic Resources of the Department of Land and Natural Resources to begin the rulemaking process no later than 7/1/2026 to regulate or ban jug line fishing and jug rig variant fishing methods. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Chris Lee (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: C.
- Cosponsor: Stanley Chang (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Karl Rhoads (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Joy A. San Buenaventura (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-30 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA... | pass | 45 | 1 |   |
| 2026-03-24 | House | The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 8 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 22 | 3 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The... | pass | 4 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-18 | Senate | The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |

## Actions (19)

- 2026-03-30: Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1530-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA. (House)
- 2026-03-30: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan excused (4). (House)
- 2026-03-24: The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Morikawa, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti. (House)
- 2026-03-20: Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Tuesday, 03-24-26 9:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-03-12: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2026-03-12: Referred to WAL, JHA, referral sheet 17 (House)
- 2026-03-10: Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 22; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 3 (Senator(s) Awa, DeCorte, Fevella). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 330) in amended form (SD 1). (House)
- 2026-03-06: Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2982) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading. (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: One Day Notice 03-10-26. (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 03-03-26 10:15AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: Reported from WLA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2670) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WLA were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Inouye, Lamosao, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Chang. (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: The committee(s) on WLA has scheduled a public hearing on 02-18-26 1:01PM; CR 224 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-01-30: Referred to WLA, JDC. (Senate)
- 2026-01-26: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2026-01-23: Introduced. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2973_HD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2973_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2973_.PDF)
- SB2973_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2973_HD1_.HTM)
- SB2973_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2973_SD1_.HTM)

## 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/SB2973_HD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2973_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2973_.PDF)
- [SB2973_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2973_HD1_.HTM)
- [SB2973_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB2973_SD1_.HTM)

## 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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2973-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).