HI HB509

Increases maximum penalty for State Water Code violations from $5,000 to $25,000 per violation and establishes a minimum penalty of $50

Expands violations to explicitly include failing to obtain required permits, failing to comply with permit conditions, and failing to comply with water audit requirements

Specifies that each day a violation exists constitutes a separate offense, with penalties assessed from the earliest known date of the violation

Requires the Commission on Water Resource Management to consider factors when imposing penalties, including violation history, economic benefit to violator, good faith compliance efforts, and degree of culpability

Takes effect July 1, 2025