Gut-and-replace options for Water Theft Bill
/We’ve heard commitments from Senators that they will not be moving to resurrect the Water Theft Bill and we all have our eyes on the House, watching for any “gut-and-replace” manuevers. Despite the bill being considered “dead” for this session, Alexander & Baldwin and other diverters have been meeting with Governor Ige and lawmakers asking that they make HB1326 HD2 happen somehow…so in response, here’s a list of bills that are still alive (heading to conference committee) that could possibly be used to resurrect the language of HB 1326 HD2 via gut-and-replace:
HB 307 - Relating to Renewable Energy
HB 439 - Relating to Land Use
HB 1025 - Relating to Lease Extensions on Public Lands
HB 1219 - Relating to Public Lands
HB 1405 - Relating to Dept. of Land and Natural Resources budget
**HB 1405 currently provides $6M in state funding to LNR404, money to help complete the Environmental Impact Statements’ necessary for Kaua‘i and Big Island diverters to work towards long-term lease applications
HB 1532 - Relating to Administrative Procedures
HB 1546 - Relating to Environmental Protection
HB 1558 - Relating to Sustainability
HB 1562 - Relating to Dept. of Agriculture Operating Budget
HB 1585 - Relating to the Environment
SB 223 - Relating to Irrigation
**SB 223 currently transfers portions of the East Kaua‘i irrigation system from the East Kaua‘i Water Users Cooperative to the Dept. of Agriculture and provides a two-year extension for the Cooperative’s stream diversion works permit.
SB 375 - Relating to Agriculture
SB 381 - Relating to Agricultural Lands
SB 491 - Relating to Dept. of Agriculture
SB 711 - Relating to Agricultural Land
SB 752 - Relating to Agriculture
SB 754 - Relating to Agriculture
SB 759 - Relating to Agriculture
SB 760 - Relating to Agriculture
SB 908 - Relating to Sustainability
SB 1148 - Relating to Agriculture
SB 1150 - Relating to Dept. of Agriculture
SB 1151 - Relating to Dept. of Agriculture Loans
SB 1167 - Relating to Agricultural Enterprises
SB 1303 - Relating to Public Lands
SB 1436 - Relating to Agriculture
SB 1526 - Relating to Conservation Enforcement
There may be other potential options not on this list and we will be monitoring hearings and floor sessions to ensure our legislators don’t resurrect HB 1326 HD2 in any form. Legislative session ends on May 2nd- it’s not over until it’s over.