STAND. COM. REP. NO. 656

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 1088

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1088 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DECLARATION OF WATER SHORTAGE AND EMERGENCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to amend the conditions, manner, and areas in which the Commission on Water Resource Management (Commission) of the Department of Land and Natural Resources can declare water shortages and emergencies.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Board of Water Supply of the City and County of Honolulu.

Your Committee finds that this measure serves to clearly define the Commission's authority to declare water shortages and emergencies. Your Committee further finds this measure would require a statewide water shortage plan and provide clarity that the Commission has authority to declare water shortages in any area, within and outside of a water management area and without a prior water shortage declaration by rule, and, after a hearing, modify, suspend, and revoke water use permits in the case of a permanent water shortage.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1088, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1088, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair