STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2682

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2583

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2583 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMPOSTING TOILETS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require, rather than allow, the counties to approve the installation and use of composting toilets in areas that are inaccessible to municipal wastewater systems.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from two individuals.

     Your Committee finds that in certain parts of the State, it is impractical to use conventional flush and septic systems due to geographical or infrastructural limitations.  Additionally, people living in encampments frequently suffer from a lack of adequate toilet facilities.  In 2015, the Legislature authorized the counties to approve the installation and use of composting toilets, which use no water and produce compost that can be used to enrich soil.  Your Committee believes that in order to ensure access to adequate toilet facilities, the counties should be required, rather than authorized, to approve the installation and use of composting toilets in areas that are inaccessible to municipal wastewater systems.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2583 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair