STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2012

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 1221

S.D. 2

H.D. 3

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 1221, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the counties to adopt ordinances for the regulation of retention and detention ponds, conduct a survey of existing retention and detention ponds, and submit a report to the Legislature; and

(2) Appropriate funds as a grant-in-aid to the counties to conduct the survey and regulate retention and detention ponds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Waikiki Neighborhood Board; Hawaiian Lifeguard Association; Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement; Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition; Hawaiʻi Lodging & Tourism Association; Hawaii Water Safety Coalition; and numerous individuals.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing the requirement that county ordinances include retention pond and detention pond safety requirements regarding:

(A) The use of pesticides and fertilizers on surrounding ground cover;

(B) The installation of landscape buffers;

(C) The incorporation of emergency spillways; and

(D) The inspection and registry requirements;

(2) Exempting retention ponds and detention ponds built on golf courses, hotels, resort properties, or other secured areas from these regulations if the property managers provide proof of sufficient security measures for their ponds;

(3) Removing the appropriation to the counties; and

(4) 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 Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1221, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1221, S.D. 2, H.D. 3.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair