STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1716

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.R. No. 124

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.R. No. 124 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REAFFIRMING THE STATE'S OBLIGATION TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF ITS PEOPLE BY RECOGNIZING THE CRITICAL ROLE OF FRESHWATER IN MAINTAINING HEALTHY NEARSHORE MARINE ECOSYSTEMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to reaffirm the State's obligation to uphold the constitutional rights of its people by recognizing the critical role of freshwater in maintaining healthy nearshore marine ecosystems.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition; Kūpeke Ahupua‘a; Ka Pa‘akai Consulting; Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea; Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Kua‘āina Ulu ‘Auamo; and four individuals.

Your Committee finds that the State's nearshore ecosystems provide significant economic, environmental, and recreational benefits. Your Committee further finds that freshwater from streams and groundwater that discharges into the ocean play a vital role in the health of the State's nearshore marine ecosystems and are critical to the health and abundance of native limu, which provides key ecological functions and serves as the base on which fisheries and traditional and customary Native Hawaiian practices rely. This measure affirms the State's obligations to the people of Hawaii by recognizing the importance of freshwater to marine ecosystems to the State's nearshore marine ecosystems and encourages state and county departments and agencies to prioritize the protection and restoration of freshwater flows to nearshore marine ecosystems.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 124, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 124, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair