STAND. COM. REP. NO. 454

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 1212

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1212 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WATER NEUTRALITY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a task force to develop a plan for Hawaii to be water-neutral by the year 2050.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and two individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from five individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Your Committees find that water neutrality is a key aspect of sustainable water management and can provide numerous benefits to organizations, communities, and the environment. Establishing a plan to achieve water neutrality will ensure sustainable water use, water security, and improved environmental quality for the State and its residents.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Establishing the water neutrality task force within the Commission on Water Resource Management, rather than the Department of Health;

(2) Adding and designating the Chairperson of the Commission on Water Resource Management or the Chairperson's designee to be the Chairperson of the task force;

(3) Clarifying that the member of the Commission on Water Resource Management on the task force shall have substantial experience or expertise in traditional Hawaiian water resource management techniques;

(4) Adding the Manager and Chief Engineer, or the Manager's designee, from each county board or department of water supply to the task force;

(5) Extending by two years the deadline for the task force to submit a report to the Legislature to twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026;

(6) Extending by two years the date that the task force will cease to exist to June 30, 2026;

(7) Inserting an appropriation for an unspecified amount for fiscal year 2023-2024 to establish the water neutrality task force and a water neutrality plan;

(8) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committees respectfully request your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $500,000.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water & Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1212, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1212, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water & Land,

____________________________ LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair

____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair