STAND. COM. REP. NO. 293

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 145

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 145 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DECLARATION OF WATER SHORTAGE AND EMERGENCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the conditions, manner, and areas in which the Commission on Water Resource Management can declare and provide notice of water shortages and emergencies.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committee finds that currently, Hawaii Revised Statutes prevents the Commission on Water Resource Management (Commission) from declaring a water shortage in non-designated water management areas. Your Committee further finds that the Commission should have the ability to adopt water shortage plans, permit classifications, and criteria outside of water management areas and should apply these plans to well and stream diversion works owners and operators. As recent droughts have demonstrated, water shortages and emergencies can occur quickly. This measure will provide the Commission with the flexibility necessary to respond to conditions anywhere in the State that threaten the State's water supplies when issuing water shortage declarations.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water and Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 145 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

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LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair