CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 1-22

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2022

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2752

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 2

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

 

Sirs:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2752, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ABANDONED WELLS,"

 

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:

 

     (1)  Establish an income tax credit for taxpayers who are required to seal abandoned wells;

 

     (2)  Clarify the definition of the term "abandoned well";

 

     (3)  Require abandoned well owners to seal the well at their expense; and

 

     (4)  Appropriate funds for positions under the Commission on Water Resource Management.

 

     Your Committee on Conference finds that wells in a state of disuse or disrepair can become conduits for contaminants to be introduced into ground water.  Your Committee on Conference further finds that abandoned wells can also become receptacles for the disposal of waste, potentially resulting in additional contamination and associated risk to public health and the environment.

 

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting the creation of a new section in statute that establishes the abandoned well income tax credit;

 

     (2)  Deleting the appropriation for positions within the Commission on Water Resource Management;

 

     (3)  Changing the effective date to upon its approval; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes 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 S.B. No. 2752, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2752, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.


 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS

Co-Chair

 

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE

Chair

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA

Co-Chair

 

____________________________

DRU KANUHA

Co-Chair

____________________________

PATRICK PIHANA BRANCO

Co-Chair