# Hawaii SB 1318: RELATING TO WATER POLLUTION.

Hawaii SB 1318, RELATING TO WATER POLLUTION., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1) Senate bill sponsored by Ronald D. Kouchi (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-05-14 (Act 047, 05/14/2025 (Gov. Msg. No. 1147).) (as of 2026-10-27).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1318-2025
- As of: 2026-10-27
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 1318
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1)
- Title: RELATING TO WATER POLLUTION.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-21
- Last action: 2025-05-14, Act 047, 05/14/2025 (Gov. Msg. No. 1147).
- Sponsor: Ronald D. Kouchi (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Water Pollution Offenses, Enforcement, EEP/WAL, FIN
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 12 (221 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Repeals duplicative and potentially confusing penalties for water pollution offenses in section 200-14, HRS, and thereby clarifies 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. (CD1)

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Boating penalties and court restrictions change: mixed, medium. The law removes special water pollution penalties of up to $10,000 per day or instance and up to 30 days in prison. The Hawaii Department of Health continues to handle water pollution enforcement. Other boating violations can still bring a petty misdemeanor penalty of up to $1,000. Parking or traff…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Ronald D. Kouchi (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-25 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 49 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-21 | Senate | The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS.... | pass | 6 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-21 | House | The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments.... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-08 | House | House Floor Vote | pass | 49 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-31 | House | The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ... | pass | 14 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-20 | House | Passed Second Reading and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting a... | pass | 49 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-18 | House | The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-18 | House | The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes ... | pass | 9 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-04 | Senate | Senate Floor Vote | pass | 25 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-27 | Senate | The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The... | pass | 4 | 1 |   |
| 2025-02-10 | Senate | The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The... | pass | 3 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-10 | Senate | The committee(s) on WTL recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |

## Actions (47)

- 2025-05-14: Act 047, 05/14/2025 (Gov. Msg. No. 1147). (Senate)
- 2025-05-14: Act 047, on 05/14/2025 (Gov. Msg. No. 1147). (House)
- 2025-04-30: Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 818). (Senate)
- 2025-04-29: Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 884). (House)
- 2025-04-29: Enrolled to Governor. (Senate)
- 2025-04-25: Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 1 Excused: Senator(s) Chang. (Senate)
- 2025-04-25: Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Lamosao excused (2). (House)
- 2025-04-23: Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 2). (Senate)
- 2025-04-23: 48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 04-25-25. (Senate)
- 2025-04-23: Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 2) as amended in (CD 1). (House)
- 2025-04-23: Forty-eight (48) hours notice Friday, 04-25-25. (House)
- 2025-04-21: The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 6 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Hashimoto, Rhoads, Chang, Elefante, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-04-21: The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Hashem, Takenouchi, Perruso, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none. (House)
- 2025-04-17: Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-21-25 10:15AM; Conference Room 229. (Senate)
- 2025-04-15: Received notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 731). (Senate)
- 2025-04-15: Senate Conferees Appointed: Inouye Chair; Hashimoto, Rhoads Co-Chairs; Chang, Elefante, DeCorte. (Senate)
- 2025-04-15: Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 789). (House)
- 2025-04-14: House Conferees Appointed: Lowen, Hashem, Takenouchi Co-Chairs; Perruso, Shimizu. (House)
- 2025-04-10: Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 679). (Senate)
- 2025-04-10: Senate disagrees with House amendments. (Senate)
- 2025-04-10: Received notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 779). (House)
- 2025-04-08: Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Marten excused (2). Transmitted to Senate. (House)
- 2025-04-04: Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1975) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Third Reading. (House)
- 2025-04-04: Forty-eight (48) hours notice Tuesday, 04-08-25. (House)
- 2025-03-31: The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Alcos, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Holt, Ward. (House)
- 2025-03-28: Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Monday, 03-31-25 3:15PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-20: Reported from EEP/WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1396), recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN. (House)
- 2025-03-20: Passed Second Reading and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2). (House)
- 2025-03-18: The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Kahaloa, Kusch; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Quinlan, Ward. (House)
- 2025-03-18: The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Lamosao, Belatti, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Morikawa, Poepoe, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Woodson. (House)
- 2025-03-14: Bill scheduled to be heard by EEP/WAL on Tuesday, 03-18-25 9:00AM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE. (House)
- 2025-03-06: Pass First Reading (House)
- 2025-03-06: Referred to EEP/WAL, FIN, referral sheet 19 (House)
- 2025-03-04: Report adopted; Passed Third Reading. Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House. (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 302). (House)
- 2025-02-28: Reported from JDC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 967) with recommendation of passage on Third Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-02-28: One Day Notice 03-04-25. (Senate)
- 2025-02-27: The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDC were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-24: The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 02-27-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 016 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Reported from WTL/HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 605) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-02-10: The committee(s) on WTL recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in WTL were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Elefante, Chang, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) McKelvey. (Senate)
- 2025-02-10: The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in HHS were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Aquino, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Hashimoto, Keohokalole. (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: The committee(s) on WTL/HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 02-10-25 1:05PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-27: Referred to WTL/HHS, JDC. (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Introduced and passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Pending Introduction. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1318_CD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1318_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/GM1147_.PDF)
- SB1318_CD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1318_CD1_.HTM)
- SB1318_HD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1318_HD1_.HTM)

## Related bills

- HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING. (signed)
- HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES. (signed)
- HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS. (signed)
- HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION. (signed)
- HB 943: RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS. (signed)
- HB 613: RELATING TO HOMELESS YOUTH. (signed)

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1318_CD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1318_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/GM1147_.PDF)
- [SB1318_CD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1318_CD1_.HTM)
- [SB1318_HD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/SB1318_HD1_.HTM)

## Related
- [HB 431: RELATING TO HOUSING.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB431-2025)
- [HB 420: RELATING TO REMEDIES.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB420-2025)
- [HB 830: RELATING TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEWS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB830-2025)
- [HB 1064: RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1064-2025)
- [HB 943: RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB943-2025)
- [HB 613: RELATING TO HOMELESS YOUTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB613-2025)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB1318-2025 (as of 2026-10-27).