Informing the Legislature that on June 5, 2026, the Governor signed the following bill into law: SB2756 HD1 CD1 (ACT 097).

2026 Regular Session

Hawaii DOCARE on Hawaii Island gains a $2.365 million one-time package for a maritime patrol vessel and 20 marked patrol vehicles to support expanded staffing.

Received.

#act097

Summary of Bill: SB2756 (CD1) – Conservation Enforcement Equipment Appropriation

Jurisdiction: Hawaii
Session: 2026
Status: Signed into law as Act 097 (June 5, 2026)

Purpose and intent

To address equipment shortages facing the Hawaii island branch of the Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) within the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) as it expands staffing from a forthcoming DOCARE academy.

Specifically targets the need for additional patrol capacity, including a maritime patrol vessel for the marine unit based in West Hawaii, and expanded vehicular mobility with new police-marked patrol vehicles.

Key provisions and changes

Section 1: Legislative findings

Acknowledges that DOCARE will launch a new academy in 2026.
Notes that a large share of new officers will be assigned to the Hawaii island branch.
Identifies critical shortages in the Hawaii island fleet of vehicles and the upcoming need for an additional maritime patrol vessel due to the expansion of marine officers.
Establishes the intent to appropriate funds for equipment for the Hawaii island branch.

Section 2: Appropriation

Appropriates $2,365,000 from the general revenues of the State of Hawaii for FY 2026-2027 to DLNR for Hawaii island DOCARE equipment.
Allocation details:
$365,000 for one maritime enforcement patrol vessel, including audible and visual emergency equipment.
$2,000,000 for twenty police-marked patrol vehicles, each equipped with audible and visual emergency equipment.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources is authorized to expend the funds for the purposes specified.

Section 3: Effective date

Takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Who is affected

Primary: Hawaii island branch of the DLNR DOCARE (conservation and resources enforcement).

Beneficiaries include:

DOCARE officers/officers-in-training associated with the 2026 academy, particularly those assigned to Hawaii Island.
The agency responsible for law enforcement and resource protection on Hawaii Island.
Public users of DLNR land and marine resources who may benefit from enhanced enforcement presence and capabilities.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Enactment: Acted on and approved by the Governor; signed into law on June 5, 2026 (Act 097).

Effective date: July 1, 2026.

Funding period: Fiscal year 2026-2027 (per the appropriation language).

Potential impact and considerations

Operational: Enables expansion of DOCARE oversight on Hawaii Island by provisioning a dedicated maritime patrol vessel and a sizable fleet of patrol vehicles, improving coverage, response times, and enforcement capacity.

Resource management: Provides a concrete, one-time appropriation targeted to equipment rather than ongoing operating expenses; future personnel and maintenance costs would still be considerations for DLNR.

Oversight: Funds are to be expended by DLNR for the stated purposes; performance and utilization would likely be subject to standard state accounting and reporting requirements.

Overall, SB2756 (CD1) advances enforcement capacity for the Hawaii island DOCARE branch by supplying a maritime patrol vessel and 20 marked patrol vehicles, aligning with anticipated staffing growth from the DOCARE academy.