STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1215

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 1232

S.D. 2

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 Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1232, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish and appropriate funds for a three-year Wastewater Technology Testing Pilot Program within the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health; Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; University of Hawaiʻi Water Resources Research Center; Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission; Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition; Climate Change and Health Working Group; The Nature Conservancy, Hawaiʻi and Palmyra; Public Access to SunScreens Coalition; Surfrider Foundation Hawaiʻi Region; WAI: Wastewater Alternatives & Innovations; and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that new and emerging wastewater technologies and management solutions are being introduced that may improve public health and the environment and better protect the State's fragile coral reefs at a more affordable cost than some traditional individual wastewater systems. Your Committee further finds that these new technologies must be tested in order to be certified by the Department of Health for use in the State. Your Committee notes that the University of Hawaii Water Resources Research Center can facilitate the Department of Health's certification process with its experience, guidance, and research regarding wastewater technologies. However, the Center would need funding for a full-time coordinator position, cover administrative costs, and cover infrastructure and equipment costs for testing and analyses. This measure will establish a pilot program that will provide the Center with the resources it needs to test new wastewater technologies to facilitate the technologies' certification for use in Hawaii.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) 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 Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1232, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1232, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

ANDREW TAKUYA GARRETT, Chair