HB375, titled the Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025, directs federal agencies to continue and coordinate efforts to address Rapid Ohia Death in Hawaii. The bill defines Rapid Ohia Death as the fungal disease caused by Ceratocystis fimbriata that affects the native ʻōhiʻa tree (Metrosideros polymorpha), and it requires the Secretary of the Interior to partner with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii on response efforts.
The bill specifically calls for continued research on disease vectors and transmission through the U.S. Geological Survey and the Forest Service’s Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. It also directs the Fish and Wildlife Service to keep working with Agriculture, the state, and local stakeholders to manage ungulates in control areas on federal, state, and private lands, with private landowner consent. In addition, it requires the Forest Service to continue providing financial assistance to prevent the spread of the disease and restore native forests, as well as staff and infrastructure support for ongoing research.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would reinforce and extend existing federal-state collaboration on forest disease management in Hawaii, without creating a new regulatory program. It would support research, restoration, and land management activities tied to Rapid Ohia Death, and it would continue federal assistance for the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry and related control efforts. The bill primarily affects the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii state agencies, local stakeholders, and private landowners in affected control areas.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests broad bipartisan support for the bill, with the House passing it under suspension of the rules by a large margin of 358-62. No committee transcript is available, but the strong vote indicates general agreement that the disease response is a worthwhile federal priority. The bill’s framing as a continuation of existing efforts also suggests it was viewed as a practical, noncontroversial conservation and biosecurity measure.
Contention
The main policy issues in the bill are operational rather than ideological. The most notable point of potential contention is the ungulate management provision, which involves work on federal, state, and private lands and requires private landowner consent; this could raise land-use, access, and wildlife-management concerns among affected landowners or local stakeholders. Another possible area of concern is the level and continuation of federal funding for research, restoration, and infrastructure support, though the recorded vote does not show significant opposition strong enough to block passage.
Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025This bill establishes requirements to research and control the fungus Ceratocystis, known as Rapid Ohia Death, which has killed more than a million native trees in Hawaii.Specifically, the Department of the Interior must partner with the Department of Agriculture and Hawaii to control and address the fungus.In addition, the U.S. Geological Survey must continue to research Rapid Ohia Death vectors and transmission.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service must continue to partner with Hawaii and local stakeholders to manage ungulates (e.g., certain mammals such as deer) in Rapid Ohia Death control areas on federal, state, and private land.Finally, the Forest Service must continue to provide (1) financial assistance to prevent the spread of the fungus and to restore the native forests of Hawaii, and (2) staff and necessary infrastructure funding to the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry to research the fungus.
Reforms the organizational structure for the Department of Transportation and Development including its duties, powers, and responsibilities of officers and employees (EN INCREASE SD EX See Note)
A bill for an act providing for certain business entities acting under the jurisdiction of the secretary of state by providing for the removal of information from a filing based on a sworn affidavit and administrative dissolution based on the response to interrogatories.(See HF 2678.)