CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 25

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 1602

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir and Madam:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 1602, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE KEAUHOU AQUIFER SYSTEM,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Keauhou Aquifer System Monitoring Pilot Project;

(2) Require the Department of Land and Natural Resources to determine whether to continue, expand, or end the Pilot Project;

(3) Appropriate funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for the Pilot Project; and

(4) Require reports to the Legislature.

Your Committee on Conference finds that increased water demand and potential resource overuse threaten the Keauhou aquifer system, a vital water source that sustains local communities, ecosystems, and cultural practices. This measure will establishes the Keauhou Aquifer System Monitoring Pilot Project to protect and regulate groundwater use within the Keauhou aquifer system.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an appropriation amount of $200,000 for the Keauhou Aquifer System Monitoring Pilot Project;

(2) Deleting language that would have appropriated funds for the installation of two monitoring wells in the Keauhou aquifer system;

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2025; and

(4) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1602, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1602, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN Co-Chair	____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE Chair
____________________________ MARK J. HASHEM Co-Chair	____________________________ DRU KANUHA Co-Chair
____________________________ JENNA TAKENOUCHI Co-Chair