HB 915 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO WATER USE.

Summary

Authorizes the Board of Agriculture to investigate and survey the availability of nonpotable water. Authorizes the Commission on Water Resource Management, as a condition for issuing permits, to require the use of dual line water supply systems in new residential and mixed-use developments located in designated water management areas. Authorizes those residential and mixed-use developments to be included in irrigation projects, as defined in chapter 167, HRS. Requires the Department of Health, Board of Agriculture, and counties to update their rules, ordinances, to allow dual line water supply systems in residential and mixed-use developments. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Last action Feb 20, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB915 → HB915_HD1 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill expands the Board of Agriculture's authority to investigate nonpotable water sources and allows residential and mixed-use developments to be included in irrigation projects. It also mandates that state agencies update their rules to permit dual line water supply systems (separate lines for potable and nonpotable water) in new residential and mixed-use developments, with specific exemptions for single-family homes with designated recycled water managers.

Scope change

The bill expands eligibility for irrigation projects to include residential and mixed-use developments, and adds new requirements for dual line water supply systems in designated water management areas.

ELIGIBILITY

Residential and mixed-use developments are now eligible to be included in irrigation projects, provided water is sourced from county-supplied R-1 water.

REQUIREMENT

The Commission on Water Resource Management may require dual line water supply systems in new residential and mixed-use developments in designated water management areas, except when there are threats to water quality, public health, or serious threats to existing water uses.

DEFINITION

New definitions were added for 'Dual line water supply system', 'Industrial and commercial development', and 'Residential and mixed-use development' with specific approval date thresholds.

ENFORCEMENT

The Department of Health, Board of Agriculture, and counties are required to review and amend their rules, ordinances, and policies to allow dual line water supply systems in residential and mixed-use developments.

EXEMPTIONS

Single-family residential homes may be irrigated with recycled water if a recycled water manager is designated, despite general restrictions on dual line systems.

FISCAL

University of Hawaii experimental farms may be included in irrigation projects if the Board of Regents agrees to pay water tolls and acreage assessments.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on JHA with Representative(s) Garcia, Pierick, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Muraoka voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).

lower

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 647), recommending referral to JHA.

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Kusch, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Committee

Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 124) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to AGR.

lower

Jan 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Lamosao, Belatti, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Morikawa, Poepoe, Souza; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Shimizu; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Woodson.

lower

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to WAL, AGR, JHA, referral sheet 4

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Committee

Referred to WAL/HSG, AGR, JHA, referral sheet 3

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors