Hawaii Senate Bill SR174

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/16/26
• Refer: 3/19/26
• Report Pass: 4/6/26
• Passed: 4/7/26

Caption

Urging The County Of Maui To Enforce The Provisions Of The Fire Code Of The County Of Maui Relating To Fire Hazards, Brush Clearance, Fuel Breaks, Roadside Vegetation Clearing, And Emergency Access.

Summary

SR174 is a Senate Resolution urging the County of Maui to actively enforce its fire code provisions related to wildfire prevention and emergency access. The resolution focuses on subsection 10.13.2 of the Maui Fire Code, which addresses exterior vegetation management, brush clearance, fuel breaks, roadside vegetation clearing, and the removal of combustible vegetation near structures, highways, and private streets. It cites the continuing wildfire risk in West Maui after the 2023 Maui wildfires, including hazards near Lahaina, evacuation corridors, and temporary housing for wildfire survivors. The resolution specifically encourages the county to prioritize enforcement on large parcels, properties near residential communities, survivor housing sites, and major evacuation routes. It also urges the county to use all available tools—inspection, notice, citation, abatement, and other enforcement mechanisms—to secure timely compliance from property owners and others controlling hazardous land. The measure is framed as a public safety response aimed at reducing fire risk, protecting life and property, and preserving emergency ingress and egress.

Impact

SR174 does not change state law or directly amend the Maui Fire Code; instead, it expresses the Senate’s position and urges county officials to enforce existing county fire code requirements more aggressively. Its practical impact is to place legislative pressure on Maui County to prioritize vegetation clearance and wildfire-risk enforcement, especially on large or neglected parcels and around evacuation routes and temporary housing areas. The resolution also reinforces the importance of county-level abatement and citation authority already provided under local law.

Sentiment

The overall sentiment appears strongly supportive and urgent. The resolution passed both referenced Senate committees unanimously and without amendment, indicating broad agreement that stronger enforcement is needed in light of the Maui wildfire experience. The tone of the bill is preventive and protective, emphasizing public safety, survivor housing, and the need to avoid repeating conditions that contributed to past wildfire devastation.

Contention

There is little visible opposition in the available record, but the resolution implicitly raises enforcement and property-rights concerns by calling for aggressive action against large landowners and unmanaged parcels. The main point of emphasis is not whether the fire code should exist, but whether Maui County is doing enough to enforce it consistently and visibly. The resolution suggests that warning letters alone are insufficient and that stronger use of citations, abatement, and penalties may be necessary, especially where overgrowth threatens evacuation access and neighboring communities.