STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3240

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1730

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1730, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WASTEWATER SYSTEMS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a Cesspool Conversion Implementation Working Group to assist the Department of Health in a review of the Department's administrative rules and practices regarding wastewater systems and cesspools and in the development of proposed changes to make cesspool conversions more affordable;

(2) Require a report to the Legislature; and

(3) Appropriate funds for positions and hiring of a consultant to assist the Cesspool Conversion Implementation Working Group.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program; Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition; Wastewater Alternatives & Innovations; Hawaiʻi Ocean Legislative Task Force; Friends of Hanauma Bay; The Nature Conservancy, Hawaiʻi and Palmyra; WaiHome LLC; Surfrider Foundation, Hawaiʻi Region; Climate Change and Health Working Group; Public Access to SunScreens Coalition; and four individuals.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committees find that the Department of Health does not have adequate funding or capacity to carry out the number of cesspool conversions required to meet the goal of total cesspool conversions in the State by 2050, as required by existing law. As millions of gallons of untreated sewage from cesspools are discharged into the State's groundwater each day, it is vital to upgrade cesspools in order to mitigate the risks and damage associated with polluted groundwater. This measure aligns with statewide efforts to create a more resilient water infrastructure framework that supports community health, sustainable housing, and natural resources preservation.

Your Committees acknowledge the testimony of the Department of Health regarding the ambiguity of the membership of the Cesspool Conversion Implementation Working Group. Amendments to this measure are therefore necessary to address this concern.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Director of Health shall have discretion to determine the maximum number of invitations to extend to private individuals to serve as members of the Working Group; and

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

Your Committees note that this measure, as amended, contains unspecified appropriation amounts. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committees respectfully request that it consider the Department's requests for:

(1) $207,216 for the establishment of two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) positions dedicated to cesspool management; and

(2) $150,000 for consultant costs to assist the Cesspool Conversion Implementation Working Group.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1730, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1730, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Health and Human Services,

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair