Hawaii Senate Bill SB411

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/15/25
• Refer: 1/21/25
• Report Pass: 2/13/25
• Refer: 2/13/25
• Report Pass: 2/27/25
• Engrossed: 3/4/25
• Refer: 3/6/25
• Report Pass: 3/19/25
• Refer: 3/19/25

Caption

Relating To Capital Improvement Projects At State Small Boat Harbors And State Parks.

Summary

SB411 would create a narrow exception to Hawaii’s general rule that capital improvement projects using state funds require prior authorization from both the Legislature and the Governor. For state small boat harbors and state parks, the bill allows the Department of Land and Natural Resources to proceed with capital improvement projects for repair, renovation, or replacement of existing facilities, including dredging, without prior legislative or gubernatorial approval, so long as the work is limited to major repairs and does not involve new facilities or appurtenances. The bill also adds oversight requirements. Before authorizing an expenditure under this exception, the managing department must provide written notice to the Legislature at least 14 business days in advance. In addition, DLNR must submit quarterly reports to the Legislature detailing expenditures, the types of work completed, justifications, project status, and a broader accounting of capital improvement projects. The measure is temporary: it is set to take effect on July 1, 3000, and then sunset five years later, at which point the prior version of section 103-7 would be restored.

Impact

SB411 would amend section 103-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to carve out state small boat harbors and state parks from the usual legislative and gubernatorial authorization process for certain capital improvement projects. The practical effect is to give DLNR more flexibility and speed in addressing deferred maintenance, repairs, renovations, replacements, and dredging at existing facilities, while preserving limits against new construction and requiring advance notice and quarterly reporting to the Legislature.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests the bill was generally well received in committee. It passed the Senate Water and Land and Senate Government Operations committees unanimously, and later passed Senate Ways and Means with only one dissenting vote. The bill’s stated purpose—improving aging recreational infrastructure while maintaining transparency—appears to have broad support, especially among members concerned with maintenance backlogs at harbors and parks.

Contention

The main policy tension in SB411 is between administrative flexibility and legislative control over public spending. Supporters appear to favor allowing DLNR to respond more quickly to urgent repair and renovation needs at heavily used facilities, while critics may be concerned about reducing prior approval requirements for capital projects and shifting too much discretion to the department. The bill addresses that concern by limiting the exception to existing facilities, excluding new construction, and adding notice and reporting requirements.