STAND. COM. REP. NO. 348

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 749

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 Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 749 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CESSPOOLS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a Cesspool Conversion Section within the Department of Health's Wastewater Branch that is dedicated to facilitating the conversion of cesspools within the State; and

(2) Establish and appropriate funds for positions within the Cesspool Conversion Section.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Mayor of the County of Maui; Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Public Access to SunScreens Coalition; Hawaiʻi Reef Ocean Coalition; Coral Reef Alliance; Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea; WAI: Wastewater Alternatives & Innovations; The Nature Conservancy; Hawaiʻi Wai Ola; Resources Legacy Fund; Pacific Whale Foundation; Surfrider Foundation; and six individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that every cesspool in the State, excluding cesspools granted certain exemptions, is required to be upgraded or converted to a director-approved wastewater system or connected to a sewerage system by January 1, 2050. Your Committee further finds that the Department of Health needs additional personnel to facilitate compliance with this mandate. This measure addresses this need by establishing a Cesspool Conversion Section within the Wastewater Branch of the Department of Health which will be responsible for facilitating the conversion of cesspools within the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the number of positions established to an unspecified number;

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

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $280,000 and three full-time equivalent (3.0 FTE) positions within the Cesspool Conversion Section.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 749, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 749, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair