STAND. COM. REP. NO. 605

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1318

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water and Land and Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 1318 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WATER POLLUTION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify that enforcement of criminal water pollution offenses remains under the jurisdiction of the Department of Health, rather than the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and Department of Health.

Your Committees find that this measure will eliminate duplicative and confusing water pollution offenses from the Department of Land and Natural Resources' criminal enforcement jurisdiction while clarifying the Department of Health's jurisdiction to enforce these types of offenses with more stringent penalties.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water and Land and Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1318 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land and Health and Human Services,

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair