Hawaii Governor Josh Greene is altering the way people experience the Aloha State by intensifying regulations on vacation rentals.

During his State of the State speech on Monday, Greene, a Democrat, declared that 10,000 rentals would be taken off the market.

"We also need to ensure more homes are available to local families — including short-term rentals that have removed too many units from the market," stated Greene.

HIGH TOURIST TAX IN HAWAII AIMED AT RAISING FUNDS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE INSTITUTED CHALLENGED BY LAWSUIT

"In the upcoming years," he continued, "we will assist the counties in reinstating more short-term rentals into the housing market — ensuring that more residences go to local residents, not outside investors."

In May 2024, the governor enacted legislation allowing counties to oversee short-term rentals to create more affordable housing.

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Recently, the Maui County Council enacted a bill on December 15 to gradually eliminate thousands of "transient vacation rentals" in apartment zones for the longer term, following the recovery from the catastrophic wildfires in 2023.

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There were nearly 9 million arrivals in the state during the first 11 months of 2025, based on preliminary data from Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT).

Tourism numbers saw a slight decline of 0.2% compared to the same timeframe in 2024.

Hawaii’s "Green Fee" legislation was intended to significantly increase tourist taxes to aid in "climate change" efforts this year, but a judge has paused the measure. (iStock)

Visitor expenditure during November climbed by 15.9%, with the Aloha State earning $1.77 billion, according to DBEDT.

Hawaii’s "Green Fee" bill aimed to significantly boost tourist taxes to support "climate change" initiatives this year — but a judge has put a stop to the provision.

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The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), along with a cruise ship supplier, initiated a lawsuit in early September challenging state tax and county finance officials in the Aloha State, as previously reported by Fox News Digital.

On December 31, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a temporary injunction while the appeal is pending.

The event occurred in Hawaii's Waiapua‘a Bay. (iStock)

It temporarily suspends the enforcement of the cruise-ship tax while the appeals are underway, The Associated Press (AP) noted.

The Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) was set to increase charges for tourists staying at Hawaii hotels — while implementing a new 11% tax on cruises, as outlined in the bill's text.

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Toni Schwartz, spokesperson for the Hawaii attorney general’s office, informed The Associated Press that the office "remains confident that Act 96 is legitimate and will be upheld when the appeal is addressed on its merits."

Ashley J. DiMella is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.