Back to Hawaii

HB999 • 2026

RELATING TO WATER POLLUTION.

RELATING TO WATER POLLUTION.

Active

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

Sponsor
NAKAMURA (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action
2025-12-08
Official status
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on specific changes to fines, penalties, or additional language regarding dumping or abandoning harmful substances.

Clarifying Water Pollution Enforcement

This bill changes a law to clarify that the Department of Health, not the Department of Land and Natural Resources, handles criminal water pollution cases.

What This Bill Does

  • Amends section 200-14 of Hawaii Revised Statutes to clarify that enforcement of criminal water pollution offenses remains under the jurisdiction of the Department of Health.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Department of Health
  • The Department of Land and Natural Resources

Terms To Know

Department of Health
A government agency that works to protect public health, including clean water.
Department of Land and Natural Resources
A government agency responsible for managing natural resources like parks and wildlife.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify changes to fines or penalties for violating water pollution rules.
  • It is unclear if this bill will pass in its current form or what changes might be made before it becomes law.

Bill History

  1. 2025-12-08 D

    Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

  2. 2025-02-11 H

    The committee(s) on EEP/WAL recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.

  3. 2025-01-31 H

    Bill scheduled to be heard by EEP/WAL on Tuesday, 02-11-25 9:15AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.

  4. 2025-01-23 H

    Referred to EEP/WAL, FIN, referral sheet 3

  5. 2025-01-23 H

    Introduced and Pass First Reading.

  6. 2025-01-21 H

    Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO WATER POLLUTION.
Water Pollution Offenses; Enforcement
Amends section 200-14, HRS, to clarify that enforcement of criminal water pollution offenses remains under the jurisdiction of the Department of Health, rather than the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB999

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

999

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO WATER POLLUTION.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�

Section 200-14, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

����
"
�200-14
�
Violation of chapter or rules; penalty.
�
(a)
�
Any
person who violates any provision in this chapter, or rule adopted by the
department, relating to boating accidents, reckless or unauthorized operation
of a vessel, unauthorized mooring of a vessel, unauthorized commercial
activity, unauthorized camping within state small boat harbors or boating
facilities, animal abandonment within state small boat harbors or boating
facilities, or creation of animal colonies within state small boat harbors or
boating facilities shall be guilty of a petty misdemeanor and shall be fined
not more than $1,000.

����
(b)
�
Any
person who violates any rule adopted by the department under this part
regulating vehicular parking or traffic movement shall have committed a traffic
infraction as set forth in chapter 291D, the adjudication of which shall be
subject to the provisions contained therein.
�

A person found to have committed a traffic infraction shall be fined not
more than:

����
(1)
�
$100
for a first violation;

����
(2)
�
$200
for a second violation; and

����
(3)
�
$500
for a third or subsequent violation.

����
[
(c)
�

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), any person who knowingly
or intentionally violates any rule adopted by the department relating to
unauthorized discharge, dumping, or abandoning, in any state boating facility
or state waters, of any petroleum product, hazardous material, or sewage in
violation of the state water quality standards established by the department of
health, shall be fined not more than $10,000 for each day of violation, and any
vessel, the agents, owner, or crew of which violate the rules of the department
shall be fined not more than $10,000 for each day or instance of violation, or
sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not more than thirty days, or both.
�
Each day or instance of each violation shall
be deemed a separate offense.
�
Additionally,
the agents, owner, or crew of any vessel that violates the rules of the
department shall be fined not more than $10,000 for each day of violation.

����
(d)
]
(c)
�
As a condition of probation pursuant to
sections 706-623 and 706-624, or as a condition to the suspension of any
criminal penalties, the environmental court may provide that the defendant
refrain from operating any vessel, including but not limited to any thrill
craft or vessel engaged in parasailing or water sledding, in specified
geographical areas of the waters of the State.

����
[
(e)
]
(d)

�
For the purposes of this section,
"operate", "parasailing", "thrill craft",
"vessel", "water sledding", and "waters of the
State"
have the same meaning as those terms are
defined in section 200-23.
"

����
SECTION
2.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION
3.
�
The Act shall take effect upon its
approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

BY REQUEST

Report Title:

Water Pollution Offenses; Enforcement

Description:

Amends section 200-14, HRS, to clarify that enforcement of
criminal water pollution offenses remains under the jurisdiction of the
Department of Health, rather than the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

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