HI HB1278

Appropriates funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Forestry and Wildlife for assessing and removing hazardous trees on state lands across Hawaii

Allocates funding separately for four islands: Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii island (specific dollar amounts left blank in current version)

Addresses risks from state-owned forests adjacent to residential areas, where downed trees during storms, wildfires, or high winds can damage homes, vehicles, and infrastructure

References the 2023 State of Hawaii hazard mitigation plan, which documented windstorm events between January 2018 and December 2021 causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in property and crop damage

Division of Forestry and Wildlife oversees nearly one million acres of public land, including forest areas that abut residential property