# Hawaii HB 1985: RELATING TO CESSPOOLS.

Hawaii HB 1985, RELATING TO CESSPOOLS., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) House bill sponsored by Nicole E. Lowen (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-03-23 (The committee on HHS deferred the measure.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1985-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii HB 1985
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO CESSPOOLS.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-23
- Last action: 2026-03-23, The committee on HHS deferred the measure.
- Sponsor: Nicole E. Lowen (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 19
- Subjects: Cesspools, Mandatory Upgrade, Conversion, or Connection, Extensions, Goal, Public Outreach and Education, Appropriation, AEN/HHS, WAM
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 5 (125 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

PART II: Allows certain extensions of the deadline for cesspool conversions. Establishes a goal for the Department of Health to prioritize the upgrade, conversion, or connection of cesspools that pose the highest risk to human health or the environment. PART III: Authorizes and appropriates funds to the Department of Health to retain qualified consultants as necessary to identify necessary public outreach and education resources and tools and develop a comprehensive public outreach strategy and website to educate property owners and wastewater industry professionals about information and resources regarding the State's cesspool upgrade, conversion, and connection requirements and deadlines. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Nicole E. Lowen (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Luke A. Evslin (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Mark J. Hashem (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Greggor Ilagan (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jeanne Kapela (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Darius K. Kila (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Lisa Kitagawa (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Matthias Kusch (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Lisa Marten (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Lauren Matsumoto (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Tyson K. Miyake (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Dee Morikawa (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Nadine K. Nakamura (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Ikaika Olds (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Amy A. Perruso (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Mahina Poepoe (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Sean Quinlan (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Gregg Takayama (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: David A. Tarnas (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Chris Todd (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-23 | Senate | The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-05 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 49 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | House | The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-18 | House | Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN... | pass | 50 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-05 | House | The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 7 | 0 |   |

## Actions (18)

- 2026-03-23: The committee on HHS deferred the measure. (Senate)
- 2026-03-23: The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in AEN were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, Richards, DeCoite, Rhoads; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Awa. (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: The committee(s) on AEN/HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 03-23-26 1:30PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Referred to AEN/HHS, WAM. (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 73). (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 878-26), recommending passage on Third Reading. (House)
- 2026-03-05: Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2026-03-02: The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos. (House)
- 2026-02-27: Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Monday, 03-02-26 10:00AM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-02-18: Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 387-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN. (House)
- 2026-02-18: 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 none excused (0). (House)
- 2026-02-05: The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Chun, Kahaloa, Kusch, Quinlan, Matsumoto; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none. (House)
- 2026-02-02: Bill scheduled to be heard by EEP on Thursday, 02-05-26 9:00AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2026-01-30: Re-referred to EEP, FIN, referral sheet 5 (House)
- 2026-01-28: Referred to EEP, WAL, FIN, referral sheet 3 (House)
- 2026-01-26: Introduced and Pass First Reading. (House)
- 2026-01-23: Pending introduction. (House)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1985_HD1_.pdf)
- HB1985_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1985_HD1_.HTM)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1985_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1985_.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (became law)
- HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES. (signed)
- HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION. (signed)
- HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1985_HD1_.pdf)
- [HB1985_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1985_HD1_.HTM)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1985_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/HB1985_.PDF)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [HB 2021: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2021-2026)
- [SB 2338: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB2338-2026)
- [HB 2344: RELATING TO SCHOOL FACILITIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2344-2026)
- [HB 2023: RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB2023-2026)
- [HB 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1985-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).