STAND. COM. REP. NO. 629

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 836

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 836 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WATER CATCHMENT SYSTEMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a Business Activity Water Catchment System Working Group within the Department of Health to assess the feasibility of allowing business owners in the State to utilize filtered water collected by water catchment systems for business activities; and

(2) Require the Business Activity Water Catchment System Working Group to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature before the Regular Session of 2027 and dissolve on June 30, 2027.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that the State's water resources are fragile and have been recently subjected to significant stressors after the petroleum leaks at the Red Hill bulk fuel storage facility on Oahu and the 2023 Maui wildfires. Your Committee further finds that assessing and implementing novel ideas to protect and diversify the State's water resources is vital. The establishment of this measure's Business Activity Water Catchment System Working Group is crucial for developing guidelines that ensure the safe and responsible implementation of water catchment systems for business use.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting a blank appropriation amount to retain the professional services of a facilitator to direct the Business Activity Water Catchment System Working Group, and assist the Department of Health with preparing a report to the Legislature;

(2) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health and Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 836, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 836, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health and Human Services,

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JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair