House Water & Land committee advances invasive‑species funding, marine enforcement, water‑reuse changes and other measures

The House Committee on Water & Land met Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Conference Room 411 at the State Capitol and voted to advance a set of bills covering invasive‑species funding, marine and conservation enforcement, water reuse policy, land‑use procedures, and rules for commercial recreation on a Kauai river.

Committee Chair Mark Asham opened the 9 a.m. hearing and led testimony from state agencies, nonprofit groups and industry representatives on bills including HB 299 and HB 1220 (invasive species), HB 506 (conservation enforcement/coral reef protection), HB 915 (water reuse/dual‑line systems), HB 502 (temporary county declaratory‑ruling authority for certain land‑use redesignations), HB 1007 (Hawaii Community Development Authority housekeeping and program change), HB 1494 (sports facilities/stadium naming rights and billboard exemption), and HB 1316 (commercial use registration for the Waialua River).

Invasive species: funding and early detection

Representatives of the Hawaii Invasive Species Council (HISC), the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species (CGAPS), Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Department of Agriculture and several conservation and farming groups testified in support of HB 299 and HB 1220. Chelsea Arnott, speaking for the council, said, “HISC funding is really put out for gap filling between gaps between agency mandates and also supporting the enhancement of tools and technology for prevention and management of invasive species through research.”

Christy Martin of CGAPS said the council’s grant program channels agency expertise into competitive grants that address technology and research needs: “It really extends, where they can't cover and what they need.” DLNR, the Department of Agriculture and environmental groups including the Sierra Club and Hawaii Farm Bureau joined in support.

On HB 1220, which included funding aimed at a newly detected marine invader (referred to in testimony by the common names sometimes used locally and the scientific name), Division of Aquatic Resources administrator Brian Nielsen said the division conducts monitoring and annual reports for outbreaks: “we do do monitoring of all invasive species outbreaks that we respond to.” Committee action: the committee adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass HB 299 and HB 1220 with amendments and committee report language setting appropriation placeholders; both measures were advanced out of committee.

Coral reef enforcement and conservation equipment (HB 506)

HB 506 drew testimony from DLNR/DOCARE and local nonprofits supporting appropriation for marine enforcement and coral reef protection. Committee members pressed DOCARE chief Jason Redulla (testimony recorded under that name) on procurement questions raised by an opponent’s written testimony about boat purchases and shipping costs; Redulla said procurement follows state procedures and total price specifications include delivery and fees. The chair’s recommendation to advance HB 506 with technical amendments and to place appropriation amounts in the committee report was adopted.

Water reuse and dual‑line systems (HB 915)

HB 915 would expand authorized uses of alternative and recycled water and amend HRS language referenced in testimony as section 174‑51.5. DLNR’s Commission on Water Resource Management supported the bill’s intent and deferred technical questions to the Department of Health; DOH testified on Zoom and flagged concerns about removal of a required “recycled water manager” for larger projects. The Department of Agriculture opposed in part, describing operational limits of its irrigation program (designed for large agricultural systems, not residential plumbing). Committee discussion focused on who should house regulatory responsibility and on updating DOH reuse guidelines; the committee voted to advance HB 915 to the next committee with the chair’s recommended report language and noted a reservation in the record.

Land‑use redesignations and important agricultural lands (HB 502)

HB 502 would temporarily allow counties to use a declaratory ruling process instead of standard district boundary amendments to redesignate some agricultural land to rural. Deputy Attorney General Miranda Steed advised the committee that Article XI, Section 3 of the Hawaii Constitution and criteria in HRS section 205‑50 raise constitutional concerns if important agricultural lands (IAL) were redesignated through a different process; the Attorney General recommended excluding IAL from this provision. The Land Use Commission said it maintains an inventory of IAL and did not believe lands that would qualify under the bill would be IAL. The committee accepted the AG’s suggested amendment (excluding IAL), advanced the bill with technical amendments, and added language in the committee report asking subsequent committees to consider related county ordinances and protections.

Land court (HB 660)

HB 660 proposes changes to land court. DLNR and the Hawaii Realtors Association both recommended a more deliberate process; DLNR pointed lawmakers to SB 949, which calls for a stakeholders’ working group and a transition plan if abolition proceeds. Testimony from the Bureau of Conveyances (opposition from an assistant registrar submitted in an individual capacity) raised concerns about costs and operational impacts for deregistration. The committee deferred HB 660 for further study and recommended pursuing the working‑group approach.

HCDA housekeeping and assessments (HB 1007)

HB 1007 would allow the Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA) to cooperate with public and private entities and change a district designation to a program. HCDA and DBEDT supported the bill as a housekeeping and programmatic change; HCDA’s Francine Murray explained the change would also permit user fees (rather than property assessments) where improvements directly benefit specific properties. The committee advanced the bill with amendments and requested that follow‑up committees analyze assessment vs. user‑fee impacts and include fiscal detail.

Waialua River commercial use registration (HB 1316)

State Parks testimony and a Zoom commenter from Kauai underscored crowding and public‑safety concerns at Waialua River. Assistant administrator Alan Carpenter told the committee “we do have commercial use rules for the river, and we have... 18 permitted commercial kayak vendors within the park who have been there for many years.” The bill aims to address unregulated rentals that operate outside park boundaries and then use the river, creating weekend crowding and enforcement problems. The committee adopted DLNR’s suggested amendments on conditions of use and terminology and advanced the bill.

Aloha Stadium/sports facilities (HB 1494)

HB 1494 prompted substantial testimony. The Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism opposed the bill’s proposal to alter the planned stadium project; DBEDT and the Aloha Stadium Authority warned that lapsing appropriations or shifting sites would disrupt the ongoing procurement and delay any stadium scheduled for 2028. The committee voted to advance an amendment exempting stadium naming rights and signage from the billboard law so the stadium authority can pursue donations and naming arrangements; the committee also blanked the site location for further review and directed the measure to the next committee.

Other action, deferrals and next steps

Several matters were deferred for more study, including HB 929 (agricultural land conveyance tax/land‑flipping surcharge) and HB 660 (land court follow‑up). HB 1132, HB 818 and other measures on the agenda were advanced with amendments or committee report language as noted by the chair during decision making.

Votes at a glance (committee action and outcome)

- HB 299 — Hawaii Invasive Species Council: Passed with amendments; chair recommended HD1; appropriation amounts to be placed in committee report (committee adopted recommendation). - HB 1220 — Invasive species (marine mangano / marine invader response): Passed with amendments; chair placed appropriation placeholder and advanced the bill. - HB 506 — Conservation enforcement (coral reef/marine enforcement equipment): Passed with amendments; appropriation amounts to be set in committee report. - HB 915 — Water use / recycled water and dual‑line systems: Advanced with amendments to referral (next committee to consider agency housing and DOH recommendations); one recorded reservation. - HB 502 — Temporary county declaratory ruling process for certain ag→rural redesignations: Passed with AG amendment excluding Important Agricultural Lands; advanced to next committee. - HB 929 — Agricultural land conveyance tax (land‑flipping surcharge): Deferred for further study. - HB 660 — Land court reform / deregistration: Deferred for further study; committee endorsed stakeholder working‑group approach (SB 949 pathway). - HB 1007 — HCDA housekeeping and program change: Passed with amendments; committee report to request more detail on user‑fees vs. property assessments. - HB 1132 — Misc. (OIP-related): Referred with amendments; date deferrals as noted. - HB 818 — Waiakea Community Development District (HCDA): Passed with amendments (district created but land transfers to be retained by DLNR per agency request). - HB 1494 — Sports facilities / Aloha Stadium: Passed with amendments exempting stadium signage/naming from billboard law and placing appropriation language under future finance committee consideration; reservation noted. - HB 1316 — Waialua River commercial‑use registration: Passed with amendments to add conditions of use and consistent terminology ("vessel").

What mattered in testimony

- Broad support from conservation groups, farmers, DLNR and DOCARE for additional funding and tools for invasive‑species response and for targeted marine enforcement to protect herbivores and reefs. - DOH and Department of Agriculture concerns about removing the requirement for a designated recycled‑water manager for large residential or mixed‑use projects; committee asked the next committees to further evaluate reuse guidelines and agency responsibilities. - Constitutional and statutory limits flagged by the Attorney General for any expedited county redesignations that could affect Important Agricultural Lands (Article XI, Section 3; HRS §205‑50). - Operational concerns about abolishing land court were raised by DLNR, the realtors and the Bureau of Conveyances; the committee favored a stakeholder working group before structural change.

The committee recessed for decision making and returned to adopt the chair's recommendations on the items above. Several measures were forwarded with technical amendments and committee‑report language to the next committees; the chair noted that appropriation figures for some bills were being held in the committee report rather than in bill text.