HB 1421 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO FINANCING.

Summary

Establishes and appropriates funds for a cesspool conversion on-bill financing program to be administered by the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority to provide low-interest loans to eligible homeowners for the upgrade, conversion, or connection of cesspools. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 23, 2025 Last action Feb 14, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB1421 → HB1421_HD1 · 8 edits

MODERATE

This bill introduces a new on-bill financing program to help low- and moderate-income homeowners in Hawaii upgrade or convert cesspools, which are substandard wastewater systems that pollute groundwater. The program will provide low-interest loans with repayments collected directly on water bills, addressing the high upfront costs that have prevented many homeowners from making these necessary upgrades. The bill establishes a special fund to finance these loans and authorizes the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority to administer the program in collaboration with county water utilities.

Scope change

The bill expands the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority's scope to include a new cesspool conversion financing program, adding specific functions for administering this program alongside existing clean energy loan programs.

FISCAL

Created a new 'cesspool conversion loan special fund' under Chapter 196 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes to provide low-interest loans for cesspool upgrades.

Authorizes the Department of Health to transfer annual funding from Section 342D-83 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes to capitalize the new cesspool conversion loan special fund.

Appropriates funds for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 for program administration, billing system reprogramming, and direct financial assistance to eligible households.

ELIGIBILITY

Established eligibility criteria for low- and moderate-income homeowners to receive financing for cesspool conversion or connection to sewerage systems.

REQUIREMENT

Requires the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority to create an on-bill financing program where loan repayments are collected on water bills through county utilities.

Requires counties to collaborate with the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority to implement the program, including reprogramming billing systems and automating electronic data transfers.

Added new functions and powers to the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority specifically for administering the cesspool conversion loan program, including hiring staff and entering into contracts.

TIMELINE

Set the effective date of the Act to July 1, 3000, indicating this is a placeholder date for future legislative action.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from EEP (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 662) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Jan 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Lowen, Perruso, Kahaloa, Kusch, Quinlan; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Ward.

lower

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

Referred to EEP, FIN, referral sheet 4

lower

Jan 23, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors