# Hawaii SB 738: RELATING TO WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT.

Hawaii SB 738, RELATING TO WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT., is a 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2) Senate bill sponsored by Mike Gabbard (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-12-08 (Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB738-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Hawaii SB 738
- State: Hawaii
- Session: 2025–2026 Regular Session (Year 2)
- Title: RELATING TO WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-17
- Last action: 2025-12-08, Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- Sponsor: Mike Gabbard (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: DOH, Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, PFAS, Wastewater Management, Testing, Rules, Permits, Prohibition, HHS/AEN, WAM
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (9 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Requires a wastewater treatment works to test sewage sludge and any other residual material for the presence of PFAS. Requires the Department of Health to adopt administrative rules for the safe disposal and sequestration of sewage sludge and other residual material that contain specific amounts of PFAS. Prohibits the issuance or renewal of permits if testing yields PFAS in sewage sludge or other residual material on land used for agronomic purposes, on land where drainage tiles have been installed, on land that drains into waters of the State, or land in a five hundred-year floodplain. Effective 12/31/2050. (SD1)

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mike Gabbard (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Herbert M. "Tim" Richards III (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Glenn Wakai (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-07 | Senate | The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 4 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-07 | Senate | The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT... | pass | 5 | 0 |   |

## Actions (9)

- 2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
- 2025-02-14: Reported from HHS/AEN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 557) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, Aquino, Hashimoto, Keohokalole; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella. (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: The committee(s) on AEN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in AEN were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Gabbard, Richards, DeCoite, Rhoads, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none. (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: The committee(s) on HHS/AEN has scheduled a public hearing on 02-07-25 2:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference. (Senate)
- 2025-01-23: Referred to HHS/AEN, WAM. (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Passed First Reading. (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Introduced. (Senate)

## Bill text

- Bill Text: [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB738_SD1_.pdf)
- Original: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB738_.HTM), [PDF](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB738_.PDF)
- SB738_SD1: [HTML](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB738_SD1_.HTM)

## Related bills

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

## Sources
- [Bill Text (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB738_SD1_.pdf)
- [Original (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB738_.HTM)
- [Original (PDF)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB738_.PDF)
- [SB738_SD1 (HTML)](https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB738_SD1_.HTM)

## Related
- [SB 847: RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGISTS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB847-2026)
- [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 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 1973: RELATING TO HEALTH.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-HB1973-2026)
- [Hawaii bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii/bills)
- [Hawaii state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/hawaii)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/HI-SB738-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).