HB919 • 2026

RELATING TO THE COMMISSION ON WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.

Elections

Active

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

Sponsor: HOLT, GARCIA, HUSSEY, KAHALOA, KAPELA, KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY, KILA, LAMOSAO, MARTEN, REYES ODA, SOUZA, TODD
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide information on how the addition of a new ex-officio member will affect the commission's operations or decision-making process.

Adding Hawaiian Homes Commission Chair as an Ex-Officio Member

This bill adds the chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission or their designee to the Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM) as an ex-officio member and clarifies that only five appointed members need substantial water management experience.

What This Bill Does

Adds the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission or their chosen representative to the Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM) as an ex-officio, non-voting member.

Who It Names or Affects

The Commission on Water Resource Management
The Governor's appointees to the Commission on Water Resource Management
The Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission

Terms To Know

Ex-officio member: A person who is a member of an organization or committee by virtue of another position they hold, but does not have voting rights.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill has been carried over to the next legislative session, so its final status is still uncertain.
It does not specify how the addition of a new ex-officio member will affect the commission's operations or decision-making process.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-01-23 H
Referred to WAL, JHA, referral sheet 3
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-21 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO THE COMMISSION ON WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT.
CWRM; Hawaiian Homes Commission; Membership
Adds the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission or the Chairperson's designee to the Commission on Water Resource Management. Clarifies that only the five, non-ex-officio members appointed by the Governor are required to have substantial experience in water resource management.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB919

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

919

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO THE COMMISSION ON WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that section
174C-101(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires decisions of the commission on
water resource management to incorporate and protect adequate reserves of water
for current and foreseeable development and use of Hawaiian home lands.

����
The
purpose of this Act is to add the chairperson of the Hawaiian homes commission,
or the chairperson's designee, to the commission on water resource management
in a similar ex officio membership as the director of health or the director's
designee.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 174C-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:

����
"(a)
�
There [
is
]
shall be
established
within the department a commission on water resource management consisting of [
seven
]

eight
members which shall have exclusive jurisdiction and final
authority in all matters relating to implementation and administration of the
state water code, except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter.

����
(b)
�
Five members shall be appointed by the
governor subject to confirmation by the senate in the manner prescribed in
subsection (d).
�
Each [
member
]
of
these five members
shall have substantial experience in the area of water
resource management; provided that at least one member shall have substantial
experience or expertise in traditional Hawaiian water resource management
techniques and in traditional Hawaiian riparian usage such as those preserved
by section 174C-101.
�
The chairperson of
the board of land and natural resources shall be the chairperson of the
commission.
�
The director of health
and

chairperson of the Hawaiian
homes commission,
or [
the director's designee
]
their respective
designees,
shall serve as [
an
] ex officio[
[
],[
]
]
voting [
member.
]
members.
"

����
SECTION
3.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

CWRM;
Hawaiian Homes Commission; Membership

Description:

Adds the
Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission or the Chairperson's designee to
the Commission on Water Resource Management.
�

Clarifies that only the five, non-ex-officio members appointed by the
Governor are required to have substantial experience in water resource
management.

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