HB1923 • 2026

RELATING TO RESIDENTIAL HOUSING UTILITIES.

Housing

Active

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

Sponsor: EVSLIN, AMATO, BELATTI, GRANDINETTI, HUSSEY, ILAGAN, IWAMOTO, KAHALOA, KILA, KUSCH, LOWEN, MARTEN, MATAYOSHI, MATSUMOTO, MIYAKE, MORIKAWA, OLDS, REYES ODA, SOUZA, TARNAS
Last action: 2026-02-11
Official status: Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on WAL with Representative(s) Muraoka, Perruso, Poepoe voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Holt excused (1).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation incorrectly stated the effective date as July 1, 2027. The official bill text specifies an effective date of July 1, 2030.

Making Water Service Information Public

This bill requires county water boards to put maps showing where new homes can get water service online.

What This Bill Does

Requires the board of water supply to make maps available on their website that show where domestic water is available for new home construction or expansion in residential areas.
The maps must include any limits on water availability due to problems with sources, storage, or distribution.
Parcel owners can appeal if they disagree with the information shown on the maps.

Who It Names or Affects

County boards of water supply
Home builders and developers
People who own land where homes might be built

Terms To Know

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) reference maps: Maps that show detailed information about a specific area, often used by government agencies.
Parcel owner: A person who owns a piece of land or property.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if the water board fails to update the maps annually.
It is unclear how disputes over map accuracy will be resolved beyond initial appeals.
The effective date for this law is July 1, 2030.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment requires the Board of Water Supply to publish maps showing where domestic water service is available for new residential construction or expansions, along with general limitations and a process for requesting conditional clearance based on these maps.

The Board of Water Supply must create and maintain online maps indicating areas where domestic water service is available for new residential buildings or expansions in residential zones.
These maps should include descriptions of any limitations to water availability due to source, storage, or distribution issues without requiring detailed parcel-by-parcel information.
Parcel owners can request a conditional clearance based on the map data if it confirms water availability, which must be honored for up to 90 days if a building permit is submitted.

The amendment text appears to have duplicate sections and an unrealistic effective date of July 1, 3000, which may indicate errors or placeholders.
Details on how the maps will be updated annually are not fully explained in plain terms.

Bill History

2026-02-11 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on WAL with Representative(s) Muraoka, Perruso, Poepoe voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Holt excused (1).
2026-02-11 H
Reported from HSG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 141-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to WAL.
2026-02-06 H
The committee on HSG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Evslin, Miyake, Cochran, Grandinetti, Kila, Kitagawa, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Muraoka; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) La Chica.
2026-02-05 H
Bill scheduled for decision making on Friday, 02-06-26 9:30AM in conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-04 H
The committee(s) on HSG recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-06-26.
2026-01-30 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HSG on Wednesday, 02-04-26 9:00AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-28 H
Referred to HSG, WAL, JHA, referral sheet 3
2026-01-26 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-23 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO RESIDENTIAL HOUSING UTILITIES.
Residential Utilities; Public Disclosure; Building Permitting; County Boards of Water Supply
Requires county boards of water supply to publicly disclose through their website service connection availability for residential permitting and construction. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1923

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1923

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to residential housing utilities
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
Chapter 54, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to part II to be appropriately designated and
to read as follows:

����
"
�54-
�
Service availability for residential dwellings.
�
(a)
�
The board of water supply shall publish on
its website geographic information systems reference maps of its service areas
that:

����
(1)
�
Reflect the availability of domestic
water service for new residential dwelling construction or expansions of
existing residential dwellings in residentially zoned areas;

����
(2)
�
Include with specificity any
limitations to the availability of domestic water service as a result of
source, storage, or distribution deficiency; and

����
(3)
�
Include sufficient supporting
analysis explaining the deficiency or other limitation in paragraph (2) that disallows
a service connection.

����
(b)
�
The maps shall be published on the website of
the board of water supply no later than July 1, 2027, and updated not less than
annually thereafter.

����
(c)
�
If a parcel owner disagrees with any map or
analysis published by the board of water supply, the parcel owner may appeal
the decision under section 91-9.
�
Each
parcel determination shall be considered an agency decision for purposes of
chapter 91.

����
(d)
�
Residential building permit applicants and
related permitting agencies may rely upon the most recent applicable map.
"

����
SECTION
2.
�
Chapter 54, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by adding a new section to part III to be appropriately designated
and to read as follows:

����
"
�54-
�
Service availability for residential dwellings.
�
(a)
�
The board of water supply shall publish on
its website geographic information systems reference maps of its service areas
that:

����
(1)
�
Reflect the availability of domestic
water service for new residential dwelling construction or expansions of
existing residential dwellings in residentially zoned areas;

����
(2)
�
Include with specificity any
limitations to the availability of domestic water service as a result of
source, storage, or distribution deficiency; and

����
(3)
�
Include sufficient supporting
analysis explaining the deficiency or other limitation in paragraph (2) that
disallows a service connection.

����
(b)
�
The maps shall be published on the website of
the board of water supply no later than July 1, 2027, and updated not less than
annually thereafter.

����
(c)
�
If a parcel owner disagrees with any map or
analysis published by the board of water supply, the parcel owner may appeal
the decision under section 91-9.
�
Each
parcel determination shall be considered an agency decision for purposes of
chapter 91.

����
(d)
�
Residential building permit applicants and
related permitting agencies may rely upon the most recent applicable map.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�
New statutory material is underscored.

����
SECTION 4.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Residential
Utilities; Public Disclosure; Building Permitting; County Boards of Water
Supply

Description:

Requires
county boards of water supply to publicly disclose through its website service
connection availability for residential permitting and construction.

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