HB1495 • 2026

RELATING TO THE KEAUHOU AQUIFER SYSTEM.

Budget Taxes Water

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: KAHALOA, KAPELA, LOWEN, POEPOE, TARNAS
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date listed in the bill text (7/1/3000) appears to be incorrect and may change, as it is likely a placeholder.

Keauhou Aquifer System Monitoring Pilot Project

This bill establishes a pilot project to monitor the Keauhou aquifer system by installing two monitoring wells, conducting tests, and reporting results to lawmakers.

What This Bill Does

Establishes a pilot program within the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to monitor the Keauhou aquifer system.
Appropriates $163,000 for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to install two monitoring wells in the Keauhou aquifer system.
Requires the Commission on Water Resource Management to manage the monitoring wells and monitor groundwater levels and water quality.
Requires DLNR to submit reports every six months detailing groundwater levels and water quality analysis.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR)
The Commission on Water Resource Management
Lawmakers who will receive the monitoring reports

Terms To Know

Aquifer: An underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials that can be used for extraction of groundwater.
Monitoring wells: Wells drilled specifically to measure the level and quality of groundwater in an aquifer system.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how long the monitoring program will continue beyond its pilot phase.
It is unclear what actions, if any, will be taken based on the results of the monitoring reports.
The effective date listed in the bill text (7/1/3000) appears to be a placeholder and may change.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment establishes a Keauhou aquifer system monitoring pilot project, including the installation of two new wells, and requires regular reports to the legislature.

Establishes a Keauhou aquifer system monitoring pilot project with specific tasks for data collection, groundwater level monitoring, water salinity tests, impact assessment on coastal ecosystems, public information meetings, community outreach, and integration of studies into management plans.
Appropriates funds for the installation of two new monitoring wells in the Keauhou aquifer system.
Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to submit biannual reports detailing groundwater levels and water salinity analysis.

The exact amount of funding appropriated is not specified, only that funds are necessary for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027.
The effective date mentioned (July 1, 3000) appears to be an error or placeholder.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-13 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kitagawa, Ward excused (3).
2025-02-13 H
Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 591), recommending referral to FIN.
2025-02-11 H
The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Lamosao, Belatti, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
2025-02-07 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Tuesday, 02-11-25 10:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-06 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on WAL with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Ward excused (1).
2025-02-06 H
Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 229) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to WAL.
2025-02-04 H
The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Kahaloa, Kusch, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.
2025-01-28 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EEP on Tuesday, 02-04-25 9:00AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-27 H
Referred to EEP, WAL, FIN, referral sheet 4
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE KEAUHOU AQUIFER SYSTEM.
DLNR; Commission on Water Resource Management; Keauhou Aquifer System Monitoring Pilot Project; Keauhou Aquifer System; Reports; Appropriation ($)
Establishes and appropriates funds for the Keauhou Aquifer System Monitoring Pilot Project within the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Appropriates funds for the installation of two monitoring wells in the Keauhou Aquifer System. Requires reports to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1495

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1495

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to the KEAUHOU aquifer system
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION 1.
�
(a)
�
There is established a
-year Keauhou aquifer system monitoring pilot
program within the department of land and natural resources.

����
(b)
�

The commission on water resource management shall:

����
(1)
�
Manage
the monitoring wells installed in the Keauhou aquifer system;

����
(2)
�
Monitor
groundwater levels in the Keauhou aquifer system; and

����
(3)
�
Conduct
water quality tests in the Keauhou aquifer system.

����
(c)
�

The department of land and natural resources shall submit an interim
report to the legislature every six months, detailing groundwater levels and
water quality analysis in the Keauhou aquifer system.

����
SECTION 2.
�

There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $163,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year
2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal
year 2026-2027 for the installation of two monitoring wells in the Keauhou
aquifer.

����
The sums

appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and
natural resources for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 3.
�

This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DLNR;
Commission on Water Resource Management; Keauhou Aquifer System Monitoring Program;
Keauhou Aquifer System; Reports; Appropriations

Description:

Appropriates
funds to the Department of Land and Natural Resources to install two monitoring
wells in the Keauhou Aquifer System.
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Establishes the Keauhou Aquifer System Monitoring Program.
�
Requires reports to the Legislature.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.