HB749 • 2026

RELATING TO CESSPOOLS.

Budget

Active

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

Sponsor: LOWEN, BELATTI, EVSLIN, GRANDINETTI, IWAMOTO, KAPELA, LA CHICA, MARTEN, MIYAKE, MORIKAWA, PERRUSO, PIERICK, POEPOE, SHIMIZU, TARNAS, TODD
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on the management of state financing options, development of public education programs, provision of information to cesspool owners, or securing federal grants.

Rules to Change Old Sewage Systems

This bill establishes a new section within the Department of Health's Wastewater Branch to manage the conversion of cesspools into better wastewater disposal methods.

What This Bill Does

Establishes a Cesspool Conversion Section in the Department of Health’s Wastewater Branch.
Appropriates funds for positions within the Cesspool Conversion Section.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Health
Cesspool owners in Hawaii

Terms To Know

cesspools: Old sewage systems that release waste directly into the ground without treatment.
conversion: The process of changing old cesspool systems to better wastewater disposal methods, such as connecting homes to sewerage systems or upgrading individual on-site systems.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the exact amount of money appropriated for new positions.
It is unclear when exactly the funding will start.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment creates a new cesspool conversion section within the Department of Health's wastewater branch to manage and facilitate the conversion of cesspools in Hawaii, and it appropriates funds for positions within this new section.

Establishes a new cesspool conversion section within the wastewater branch of the Department of Health.
Appropriates money for full-time equivalent (FTE) permanent positions to support the new cesspool conversion section.

The exact amount of funding appropriated is not specified in the amendment text provided.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-03-04 S
Referred to HHS/AEN, WAM.
2025-02-28 S
Passed First Reading.
2025-02-28 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 33).
2025-02-27 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4). Transmitted to Senate.
2025-02-27 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 884), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2025-02-20 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos, Ward.
2025-02-18 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Thursday, 02-20-25 12:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-11 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Pierick voting no (2) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2).
2025-02-11 H
Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 348) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
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.
2025-01-30 H
Bill scheduled for decision making on Tuesday, 02-04-25 9:01AM in conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-30 H
The committee(s) on EEP recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-04-25.
2025-01-28 H
Re-referred to EEP, FIN, referral sheet 6
2025-01-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EEP on Thursday, 01-30-25 9:00AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to EEP, HLT, FIN, referral sheet 2
2025-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-17 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO CESSPOOLS.
Department of Health; Wastewater Branch; Cesspool Conversion Section; Positions; Appropriation ($)
Establishes a Cesspool Conversion Section within the Department of Health's Wastewater Branch, which shall be responsible for facilitating the conversion of cesspools within the State. Establishes and appropriates funds for positions within the Cesspool Conversion Section. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB749

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

749

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to cesspools
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that the health of
Hawaii's people and quality of Hawaii's waters are being harmed by pollution
from cesspools.
�
Hawaii has more than
eighty thousand cesspools that discharge about fifty million gallons of
wastewater into the State's groundwater every day.
�
Cesspools are antiquated, substandard systems
that damage public health; pollute drinking water; and lower water quality in
streams, ground waters, nearshore marine areas, and the ocean.
�
Cesspool pollution also harms public
recreation and the precious coral reefs on which Hawaii's economy, shoreline,
fisheries, and native species depend.
�

The United States Geological Survey has estimated that coral reefs in
Hawaii provide flood protection benefits to 6,800 people and $836,000,000
annually in averted damages to property and economic activity.
�
To protect public health, property, and the
environment including coral reefs, cesspools should be replaced by connecting
homes to sewerage systems or, in areas that are too remote to be feasibly
connected, upgraded either with individual on-site wastewater disposal systems
or cluster wastewater treatment systems.

����
The legislature recognizes that
maintaining the cleanliness of the State's waters is a matter of statewide
concern that falls under the legislature's obligation to enact laws pursuant to
article XI, section 7, of the Hawaii State Constitution.

����
The legislature further finds that
the department of health needs additional personnel to facilitate compliance
with the mandate of section 342D-72, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and to administer
thousands of cesspool upgrades in the coming years.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act
is to:

����
(1)
�
Create a new
cesspool conversion section within the department of health's wastewater branch
that is dedicated to facilitating the conversion of cesspools within the State;
and

����
(2)
�
Establish and
appropriate moneys for new positions within the new cesspool conversion
section.

����
SECTION 2.
�
Chapter 342D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding a new section to part IV to be appropriately designated and
to read as follows:

����
"
�342D-
�
Wastewater
branch; cesspool conversion section.
�
(a)
�
There is established a cesspool conversion
section within the wastewater branch of the department, which shall:

����
(1)
�
Manage and
facilitate various state financing options for the conversion of cesspools in
the State;

����
(2)
�
Develop and
manage public outreach and education regarding the conversion of cesspools;

����
(3)
�
Inform cesspool
owners of available options and assistance for compliant conversions of
cesspools;

����
(4)
�
Manage any
federal, state, or other available grants to assist with the conversion of
cesspools;

����
(5)
�
Secure
available federal funding that may be used to assist in the conversion of
cesspools; and

����
(6)
�
Facilitate
partnerships with counties, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector
relating to the department's responsibilities under this section.

����
(b)
�
For
the

purposes of this section, "conversion of cesspools" means the
connection of a cesspool to a sewerage system or upgrade or conversion of a
cesspool to a director-approved wastewater system.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�
There is appropriated out of the general
revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of
$ 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 to establish three
full-time equivalent (3.0 FTE) permanent positions within the cesspool
conversion section established pursuant to section 342D- ,
Hawaii Revised Statutes.

����
The sums

appropriated shall be expended by the department of health for the
purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 4.
�
New statutory material is underscored.

����
SECTION 5.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval;
provided that section 3 shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Department
of Health; Wastewater Branch; Cesspool Conversion Section; Positions;
Appropriation

Description:

Creates
within the Department of Health's Wastewater Branch a Cesspool Conversion
Section, which shall be responsible for facilitating the conversion of
cesspools within the State.
�
Establishes
and appropriates funds for positions within the Cesspool Conversion Section.

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