CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 131

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2017

RE:    H.B. No. 1244

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 1244, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CESSPOOLS,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to eliminate a major source of water pollution in the State by requiring that all cesspools in the State be upgraded or converted into more environmentally-friendly waste treatment systems or connected to a sewer system before January 1, 2050.  This measure also provides cost assistance to homeowners by establishing and funding a compliance grant program.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting language establishing and appropriating funds for the compliance grant program and instead providing financial assistance to homeowners through expanded eligibility criteria for the State's existing income tax credit for cesspool upgrade, conversion, or connection;

     (2)  Inserting language requiring the Department of Health to investigate the impact of existing cesspools on public health and to make recommendations, in collaboration with the Department of Taxation, on the feasibility of instituting a grant program to assist low-income homeowners in complying with the mandate for upgrade, conversion, or connection;

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2017; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1244, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1244, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER Chair	____________________________ DELLA AU BELATTI Co-Chair
____________________________ MIKE GABBARD Co-Chair	____________________________ CHRIS LEE Co-Chair
____________________________ J. KALANI ENGLISH Co-Chair	____________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE Co-Chair