STAND. COM. REP. NO.  378-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 1512

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Water & Land, Energy & Environmental Protection, and Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1512 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO POWERS OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to charge the Lieutenant Governor with coordinating public and private sector resources to develop a strategic plan to direct statewide growth and development in response to projected sea level rises resulting from climate change.

The University of Hawaii and several individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure.  The Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Office of Planning, and Department of Land and Natural Resources submitted comments.

     Your Committees find that climate change is the most important environmental issue facing the State today.  Its effects are imminent and will be profound, particularly for our island State.  Reliable scientific data projects sea level rise of one foot over 2011 levels by 2050, as well as potentially radical changes in weather patterns.  Hawaii must begin to institute concrete and realistic plans to respond to climate change now.  Your Committees find that assigning responsibility for coordinating the climate change response effort to the Lieutenant Governor makes clear the Legislature's understanding that the magnitude of this issue is such that it must be addressed at the highest levels of statewide government. 

     Your Committees note that the Legislature is currently considering several other measures related to the State's climate change response that allocate duties differently than this measure does.  Many of the ideas and potential response plans under discussion have meritorious elements that the Legislature should continue to consider alongside this measure.  Your Committees find that statewide planning to address climate change is of such importance to the public health, safety, and welfare that all reasonable strategies must be thoroughly considered so that the Legislature and the people of the State can implement the final plan with confidence that Hawaii's environment, culture, economy, and people, will be protected to the greatest extent possible.  

Accordingly, your Committees request that the Committee on Finance consider the effects of this measure and others like it on the roles of government leaders and public agencies, particularly the Office of Planning and the Sustainability Coordinator, in its deliberations related to statewide climate change planning.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water & Land, Energy & Environmental Protection, and Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1512 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water & Land, Energy & Environmental Protection, and Ocean, Marine Resources, & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________ CHRIS LEE, Chair	____________________________ CINDY EVANS, Chair
	____________________________ FAYE P. HANOHANO, Chair