STAND. COM. REP. NO.  200-18

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2018

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2626

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2626 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CESSPOOLS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Establish a Cesspool Conversion Advisory Council to study issues relating to cesspool conversion;

 

     (2)  Require the Cesspool Conversion Advisory Council to develop a long-range comprehensive plan for cesspool conversion statewide; and

 

     (3)  Establish a Cesspool Compliance Pilot Grant Project to assist cesspool owners with cesspool conversion.

 

     The Department of Health, Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Department of Environmental Services of the City and County of Honolulu, Kokua Hawaii Foundation, Friends of Hanauma Bay, Surfrider Foundation, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and several individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Taxation and State Procurement Office provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by removing the substantive provisions which established the Cesspool Conversion Advisory Council and Cesspool Compliance Pilot Grant Project and inserting language which:

 

     (1)  Requires the Department of Health to hire a third-party consultant to conduct a study on the issues relating to the upgrade or conversion of cesspools, which includes the development of a long-range comprehensive plan for cesspool conversion statewide of all cesspools by 2050, and submit the study to the Legislature by December 31, 2019;

 

     (2)  Establishes the Cesspool Conversion Working Group to assist the third-party consultant in conducting the study;

 

     (3)  Appropriates funds to the Department of Health for the study;

 

     (4)  Repeals the measure on July 1, 2020; and

 

     (5)  Changes its effective date to July 1, 2118, to encourage further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2626, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2626, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Health & Human Services.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair