ChangeBridge / Hawaii / HB2592 Passed
HB2592 House Bill
Passed
2026-03-10

Relating To The Mauna Kea Stewardship And Oversight Authority.

Part I: Clarifies the powers of the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority so that it may carry out its intended duties regarding land use on Mauna Kea. Part II: Authorizes MKSOA to own or hold real property and transfers as a matter of law certain real property interests in the Mauna Kea lands to MKSOA. Part III: Extends the transition period to 12/1/2029; requires the University of Hawaii to transfer the various Mauna Kea astronomical observatory conservation district use permits to the astronomical observatories; and adds a reversion date of 12/1/2032. Part IV: Provides that the existing plans and administrative rules adopted or developed by UH under which Mauna Kea is currently governed remain in effect until plans and administrative rules adopted by MKSOA take effect. Part V: Clarifies that MKSOA has state sovereign immunity. Part VI: Authorizes MKSOA to extend leases and subleases before the transfer for up to an additional ten-year term. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Bill Details

State

Hawaii

Session

2026 Regular Session

Chamber

House

Committee

Judiciary

Official Source

www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_ind...

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Sponsors

Matthias Kusch (Rep - D)
Greggor Ilagan (Rep - D)
Kirstin Kahaloa (Rep - D)
Jeanne Kapela (Rep - D)
Sue Keohokapu-Lee Loy (Rep - D)
Nicole Lowen (Rep - D)
David Tarnas (Rep - D)

Action History

2026-03-30 S Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC/WAM.
2026-03-30 S Reported from WLA/EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3369) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC/WAM.
2026-03-25 S The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WLA were as follows: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Lamosao; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) DeCorte; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Inouye, Chang.
2026-03-25 S The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 2 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Hashimoto; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) DeCorte; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kidani, Fukunaga.
2026-03-20 S The committee(s) on WLA/EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 03-25-26 1:11PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
2026-03-16 S Re-Referred to WLA/EDU, JDC/WAM.
2026-03-12 S Referred to WLA/EDU, JDC.
2026-03-12 S Passed First Reading.
2026-03-12 S Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 441).
2026-03-10 H Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Alcos, Amato, Garcia, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Reyes Oda, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Cochran, Grandinetti, Hussey, Iwamoto, Perruso, Poepoe, Souza voting no (7) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-06 H Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 03-10-26.
2026-03-06 H Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1194-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-02-26 H The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; 2 Noes: Representative(s) Poepoe, Garcia; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.
2026-02-24 H Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Thursday, 02-26-26 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-18 H Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Alcos, Cochran, Garcia, Gedeon, Matsumoto, Perruso, Pierick, Poepoe, Reyes Oda, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Muraoka, Souza voting no (2) and none excused (0).
2026-02-18 H Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 464-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2026-02-05 H The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Morikawa, Belatti, Ichiyama, Woodson; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Poepoe, Shimizu; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Souza; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Iwamoto.
2026-02-03 H Re-referred to WAL, JHA, referral sheet 7
2026-02-02 H Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Thursday, 02-05-26 9:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-02 H Referred to WAL, HED, JHA, referral sheet 6
2026-01-28 H Introduced and Pass First Reading.

Votes

2026-03-25 Senate Water, Land, and Agriculture: Passed, With Amendments Yea: 2 Nay: 1
2026-03-25 Senate Education: Passed, With Amendments Yea: 2 Nay: 1

Committee Referrals

2026-02-02 H Water & Land
2026-02-18 H Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs
2026-03-12 S Water, Land, and Agriculture
2026-03-30 S Judiciary

Bill Text Versions

2026-01-28 Introduced
2026-02-18 Amended
2026-03-07 Amended
2026-03-28 Amended

Subjects

Mauna Kea MKSOA UH Conservation District Use Permit Transfer Astronomical Observatories Lease Transfer Fee Transfer BLNR DLNR Continuity of Plans and Administrative Rules Sovereign Immunity Extension Reversion

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