STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 575
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2025
RE: H.B. No. 1233
H.D. 2
Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2025
State of Hawaii
Madame:
Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1233, H.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The
purpose of this measure is to
ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of the State by
requiring the counties to:
(1) Regulate the permitting, construction, and maintenance of retention and detention ponds, including establishing safety standards for retention and detention ponds; and
(2) Conduct a survey of existing retention and detention ponds statewide and provide a report to the Legislature.
Your Committee finds
that drowning is the number one cause of death for children between the ages of
one and fifteen in the State. Your
Committee further finds that retention and detention ponds, while essential for
stormwater management, pose serious risks to public health and safety due to
their potential for sudden water level changes and deep standing water. Improperly maintained and unregulated
retention and detention ponds are particularly dangerous for young children,
who are unaware of the risks they pose.
Your Committee believes that regulating the construction and permitting
of retention and detention ponds, including the establishment of minimum safety
standards, is necessary to ensure the health and safety of residents and
visitors.
Your Committee notes the testimony
from the Department of the Attorney General, which states that this measure
requires the counties to administer a new regulatory program for retention and
detention ponds, but does not contain an appropriation to the counties for this
purpose. Such cost sharing is a
requirement under Article VIII, section 5 of the Hawaii State Constitution.
Accordingly,
your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Inserting an appropriation as a grant-in-aid
to the counties for an unspecified amount;
(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000,
to encourage further discussion; and
(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1233, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1233, H.D. 2.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,
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____________________________ GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair |
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