STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1056-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: S.B. No. 2503

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 2503 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO INDIVIDUAL WASTEWATER SYSTEMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish within the Department of Health the Time of Transfer Individual Wastewater System Inspection Program to oversee the inspection and repair of any individual wastewater system at the time of the sale or transfer of ownership of an attached property.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health and five individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Association of REALTORS.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Health and Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism receive approximately $1,100,000 in annual federal grants through the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments of 1990, contingent on the State taking measures to address and minimize polluted runoff, including runoff from on-site sewage facilities. This measure minimizes the polluted runoff created by failing individual wastewater systems in the State by establishing a program to oversee the inspection and repair of individual wastewater systems at the time of an attached property's transfer or sale.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee notes that the intent of this measure, should it be enacted, is to not have it take effect upon approval but instead have a delayed effective date, in order to allow relevant industries and the Department of Health sufficient time to prepare for implementation of the new program.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2503, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2503, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair