House Higher Education committee advances five Senate bills to HD1; details on Ala Wai, wastewater pilot, nursing, CTAHR and UH bonds

The House Committee on Higher Education on Wednesday passed five Senate bills with amendments and HD1s, moving each measure to the next stage of review.

The committee advanced Senate Bill 1146 SD1, which would appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii to develop an action plan and a pre‑engineering concept for debris management and water quality in the Ala Wai watershed; Senate Bill 1232 SD2, establishing a three‑year wastewater technology testing pilot at the UH Water Resources Research Center; Senate Bill 119 SD1, to establish a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at Maui College; Senate Bill 865 SD1, to create an extension agent position at CTAHR’s Kona Cooperative Extension; and Senate Bill 1487 SD1, authorizing the Board of Regents to issue revenue bonds to finance qualifying capital priorities.

Why it matters: the measures would fund research and planning on water quality and wastewater technology, expand nursing education capacity on Maui, strengthen agricultural extension service on Hawaii Island, and authorize UH to pursue revenue financing for capital projects. Several measures include blank appropriations or large, undefined bond caps and will require further legislative approval before funds are spent.

The Ala Wai Canal measure drew testimony from the University of Hawaii and the Department of Land and Natural Resources. "We stand on our testimony in support," said Dean Morioka of the University of Hawaii. Jason Ching, acting chief engineer at the Department of Land and Natural Resources, told the committee that DLNR "stands on our testimony" and explained cleanup costs are paid from special boating and operating funds. Ching said debris on the Ala Wai largely arrives from the upper watershed and that the project would help identify sources and potential joint state, county and federal responses.

On wastewater, John Nagato of the Department of Health said the department "stands on its written testimony in support." Ted Bolen of the Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition described the bill as "important" to lower the cost of cesspool upgrades by enabling testing of cheaper technologies. Stuart Coleman of Wastewater Alternatives and Innovations said prior pilot testing in Hawaii reduced costs and that private companies are eager to test new systems in the state.

Supporters of the Maui nursing program noted workforce needs; testimony submitted included the Hawaii State Center for Nursing and several professional associations. The CTAHR bill prompted discussion about position type: Walter Bowen, associate dean for research, told the committee that if forced to choose between creating a single APT support position and adding an extension agent, he "would go with an extension agent," saying extension agents drive outreach for orchard crops.

Amy (Associate vice president/controller) for the University of Hawaii said the revenue bond bill is largely an authorization to begin planning and does not itself launch a bond sale. She said the bill would permit the university to begin conversations about large projects such as student housing, but that separate approvals and steps would be required before bonds are issued.

Votes at a glance

- SB 1146 SD1 (Ala Wai Canal action plan): Chair recommended pass with HD1; roll call recorded chair and vice chair voting aye, Representatives Ebsland, Keeler, Lechika, Woodson, Murioka and Souza voting aye; several members were noted excused. Committee adopted the recommendation.

- SB 1232 SD2 (wastewater technology testing pilot): Chair recommended pass with HD1; committee recorded the chair and vice chair voting aye and noted excused members; recommendation adopted.

- SB 119 SD1 (Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Maui College): Chair recommended pass with HD1; chair and vice chair voted aye; recommendation adopted.

- SB 865 SD1 (CTAHR Kona extension): Chair recommended upgrading the APT position to an extension agent and pass with HD1; Vice Chair recused for this item; chair voted aye and the committee adopted the recommendation.

- SB 1487 SD1 (University of Hawaii revenue bonds): Chair recommended pass with HD1; the committee adopted the recommendation; one member registered reservations on the measure.

Several witnesses and organizations filed written testimony in support across the bills, including the Waikiki Neighborhood Board and Waikiki Beach Special Improvement District (Ala Wai), the UH system and Sea Grant (wastewater), Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition and Nature Conservancy (wastewater), Hawaii State Center for Nursing and nursing associations (SB 119), and numerous agricultural groups (SB 865).

The committee’s HD1 recommendations generally assigned new "defective" or "effective" dates and preserved blank appropriation amounts in the measures, with details to be determined in later committees or fiscal action.

What’s next: each HD1 moves to further committees for fiscal review or additional referral as required. The measures that appropriate funds or authorize bonds will return to the Legislature and, for bond issues, to the governor and Board of Regents for later approvals before funding or issuances occur.

Ending: The committee recessed after completing the decision‑making on the five bills and adjourned the hearing later in the afternoon.