SB 3 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO WATER.

Summary

Establishes a public trust purpose for the Commission on Water Resource Management. Allows the Commission on Water Resource Management to retain independent counsel. Repeals the First Deputy to the Chairperson of the Commission on Water Resource Management. Establishes the Executive Director of the Commission on Water Resource Management. Administratively attaches the Commission on Water Resource Management to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Authorizes members of the Commission on Water Resource Management to be eligible to serve as chairperson. Requires the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources and Director of Health to serve as ex officio voting members ineligible to serve as chairperson. Authorizes entities to whom an emergency order is directed to challenge the order under certain conditions. Clarifies the notification requirements and contents of declarations of water shortages. Establishes fines. Makes conforming amendments. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 8, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB3 → SB3_SD1 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill significantly restructures the Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM) by establishing a 'public trust purpose' to prioritize Native Hawaiian practices and domestic water needs. It creates a new Executive Director role, modifies how the commission is attached to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, and increases maximum fines for water violations from $5,000 to $60,000. The effective date of the act is delayed from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2050.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of the CWRM by adding a specific mandate to prioritize public trust purposes, including Native Hawaiian traditional practices and domestic uses, before addressing other water use applications.

DEFINITION

Added a new definition for 'public trust purpose' requiring the commission to prioritize Native Hawaiian traditional practices and domestic water uses.

REQUIREMENT

Established a new Executive Director position to administer the commission, replacing the previous First Deputy role.

Changed the commission's administrative attachment from being 'within' the Department of Land and Natural Resources to being 'attached to' it.

ENFORCEMENT

Increased the maximum fine for water use violations from $5,000 to $60,000 per violation.

TIMELINE

Delayed the effective date of the entire act from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2050.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified the chairperson selection rules to allow any commission member to serve as chair, while explicitly disqualifying the Board of Land and Natural Resources chair and Director of Health from serving as chair.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate. No roll call record of that vote is available.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC/WAM.

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Committee

Reported from WTL/PSM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 376) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC/WAM.

upper

Feb 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Wakai, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Fukunaga, Rhoads.

upper

Feb 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WTL recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WTL were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Elefante, Chang, McKelvey, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Jan 31, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WTL/PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 02-03-25 1:05PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 16, 2025

Committee

Referred to WTL/PSM, JDC/WAM.

upper

Jan 15, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 8, 2025

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

5 primary · 1 co-sponsor