RELATING TO IRRIGATION.

Agriculture Budget Water

Active

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

Sponsor: KAHALOA, AMATO, EVSLIN, LAMOSAO, LOWEN, MORIKAWA, PERRUSO
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date of July 1, 3000, is likely an error or placeholder and needs clarification.

Irrigation System Funding

This bill allows the Director of Finance to issue bonds and allocate funds to finance capital improvement projects for irrigation systems in Hawaii.

What This Bill Does

Authorizes the Director of Finance to issue general obligation bonds for financing capital improvement projects related to irrigation systems.
Appropriates funds from these bonds for capital improvement projects for irrigation systems managed by the Department of Agriculture.
Ensures that unspent money as of June 30, 2028, will lapse and not be available for future use.

Who It Names or Affects

Farmers who rely on irrigation systems for their crops
The Department of Agriculture which manages the funds and improvements

Terms To Know

General Obligation Bonds: Bonds that are backed by the full faith and credit of a government entity, such as the state.
Capital Improvement Projects (CIP): Projects aimed at improving or expanding existing infrastructure or facilities.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the exact amount of money to be allocated for irrigation system improvements.
It is unclear when the bonds will actually be issued and funds disbursed.
The effective date of July 1, 3000, seems to be a placeholder or error.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds to fund capital improvement projects for irrigation systems across Hawaii, and changes how certain positions in the Department of Agriculture are financed.

Authorizes the Director of Finance to issue general obligation bonds and appropriate funds for capital improvements to various irrigation systems on different islands.
Changes the financing method for specific positions within the Department of Agriculture from an irrigation system revolving fund to the general fund.

The exact dollar amounts for bond issuance and appropriations are not specified in the provided text.
The effective date mentioned (July 1, 3000) seems incorrect or is a placeholder and needs clarification.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-14 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).
2025-02-14 H
Reported from AGR (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 632) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2025-02-12 H
The committee on AGR recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Kahaloa, Kusch, Lowen, Perruso, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.
2025-02-07 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by AGR on Wednesday, 02-12-25 9:30AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to AGR, FIN, referral sheet 2
2025-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-17 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO IRRIGATION.
Irrigation Systems; CIP; General Obligation Bonds; HDOA; Positions; Conversion; Appropriation ($)
Authorizes the Director of Finance to issue general obligation bonds and appropriates funds to finance capital improvement projects for irrigation systems in the State. Converts the means of financing from the Irrigation System Revolving Fund to the general fund for certain positions in the Department of Agriculture. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB783

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

783

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to irrigation
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that a reliable
irrigation system is the lifeline of Hawaii's agricultural industry.
�
To ensure that Hawaii's crops receive a
steady and dependable supply of water, sufficient funding is needed to maintain
and improve Hawaii's irrigation systems.
�

Increasing weather tendencies of extended drought events highlight the
need for timely repair and maintenance of these systems.

����
The purpose of
this Act is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds and
appropriate funds for capital improvement projects for the State's irrigation
systems.

����
SECTION
2.
�
The director of finance is authorized
to issue general obligation bonds in the sum of
$ or so much
thereof as may be necessary and the same sum or so much thereof as may be
necessary is appropriated for fiscal year 2025-2026 for the purpose of capital
improvement projects for irrigation systems.

����
The sum

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

����
SECTION 3.
�
The appropriation made for the capital
improvement project authorized by this Act shall not lapse at the end of the
fiscal biennium for which the appropriation is made; provided that all moneys
from the appropriation unencumbered as of June 30, 2028, shall lapse as of that
date.

����
SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Irrigation
Systems; CIP; General Obligation Bonds; Appropriation

Description:

Authorizes
the Director of Finance to issue general obligation bonds and appropriates
funds to finance capital improvement projects for irrigation systems.

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