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Hawaii Proposes Green Fee Transparency Dashboard
New bill aims to make green fee revenue and spending more visible to the public.
Published on Feb. 8, 2026
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As members of the Care for 'Aina Now coalition, the authors are encouraged that Hawaii is taking steps to protect its natural and cultural resources through a new green fee for visitors. While passing the fee was an important first step, the authors argue that true success will depend on making the use of these funds transparent and accountable to the public. A proposed bill, House Bill 1949, would create a statewide Green Fee Resiliency Impact Dashboard (GRID) to track revenue, spending, and outcomes across multiple state agencies and community partners.
Why it matters
The GRID dashboard is seen as a way to build trust, encourage collaboration, and demonstrate the positive impacts of the green fee to both residents and visitors. By making the use of green fee funds transparent, the state can reinforce its values of environmental stewardship and show how visitor contributions are supporting meaningful solutions for Hawaii's natural resources.
The details
The green fee, which amounts to only a few dollars per visitor, is designed to support a variety of environmental protection, climate resilience, and stewardship efforts across Hawaii. However, currently there is no centralized way for the public to understand where the money is going and what it is accomplishing. The proposed GRID dashboard would change that by providing a single platform to track revenue, funding allocations, project details, and outcomes.
- House Bill 1949 was introduced in the Hawaii legislature in 2026.
The players
Care for 'Aina Now
A coalition advocating for Hawaii's green fee to protect natural and cultural resources.
John Leong
Co-founder and CEO of Kupu, a member of the Care for 'Aina Now coalition.
Ulu Ching
Executive director of the Hawai'i Conservation Alliance Foundation, a member of the Care for 'Aina Now coalition.
Hawaii Legislature
The state legislature that is considering House Bill 1949 to create the Green Fee Resiliency Impact Dashboard.
What they’re saying
“The creation of Hawaii's green fee reflects a shared understanding that while our natural beauty welcomes every visitor, each visit brings both benefits and costs. A small contribution helps ensure that the places people come to enjoy are cared for and sustained over time.”
— John Leong, Co-founder and CEO of Kupu (staradvertiser.com)
“By bringing this information together, the dashboard creates a shared understanding among residents, policymakers and communities.”
— Ulu Ching, Executive director of the Hawai'i Conservation Alliance Foundation (staradvertiser.com)
What’s next
House Bill 1949 proposing the Green Fee Resiliency Impact Dashboard is currently being considered by the Hawaii legislature.
The takeaway
The proposed GRID dashboard represents an opportunity for Hawaii to build trust, encourage collaboration, and demonstrate the positive impacts of the green fee to both residents and visitors. By making the use of these funds transparent, the state can reinforce its values of environmental stewardship and show how visitor contributions are supporting meaningful solutions for Hawaii's natural resources.
