STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1722

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   S.B. No. 266

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 266, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GLOBAL WARMING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to protect Hawaii's fragile environment by establishing a Climate Change Task Force (Task Force) within the Office of Planning, for administrative purposes only, to:

(1)  Assess the current and potential impacts of global warming and climate change trends and the impacts of rising ocean levels on the State's residents, natural resources, and economy, including impacts on the visitor industry, air and sea transport, buildings and public utilities infrastructure, human health, and native plants, animals, and ecosystems;

     (2)  Make the same assessments of current and potential impact with regard to rising sea levels and estimate costs to the State; and

     (3)  Recommend measures to address or mitigate the effects of climate change, including preventing shoreline erosion, preserving the visitor industry, relocating transportation infrastructure, restricting construction in affected areas, improving public utilities infrastructure, preparing for health emergencies, and maintaining the health of native species and ecosystems.

     The Nature Conservancy of Hawaii testified in support of this bill.  The Windward Ahupua‘a Alliance provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by changing:

     (1)  To an unspecified amount, the appropriation for the Task Force; and

     (2)  The effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 266, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 266, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair