STAND. COM. REP. NO. 423

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 559

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment, Government Operations, and Transportation and Energy, to which was referred S.B. No. 559 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CLIMATE CHANGE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to ensure statewide support for Hawaii's green initiatives and to further the State's commitment to combat climate change by systematically reducing and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions through the enactment of principles that mirror many of the provisions adopted in the Paris Agreement.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Sierra Club of Hawaii; Americans for Democratic Action Hawaii; Hawai‘i Green Growth; The Nature Conservancy; Life of the Land; Conservation Council of Hawai‘i; Hawaii Island School Garden Network; Hawaii Farmers Union United; The Maritime Group, LLC; The Island Agency; and three individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from fifteen individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Accounting and General Services, and Office of Planning.

     Your Committees find that not only is climate change real, but it is the overriding challenge of the 21st century and one of the priority issues of the Senate.  Your Committees also find that on December 12, 2015, one hundred ninety-five countries at the 21st Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted an agreement addressing greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, adaptation, and finance starting in the year 2020, known as the Paris Agreement.  Your Committees support the goals of the Paris Agreement to combat climate change and its effects on environments, economies, and communities around the world and find it necessary that the State enact provisions to further mitigate Hawaii's greenhouse gas emissions.

     Your Committees further find that the Hawaii Climate Adaptation Initiative Act, Act 83, Session Laws of Hawaii 2014, established the climate change adaptation priority guidelines and authorizes the Office of Planning to coordinate the development of a statewide climate adaptation plan.  Your Committees therefore note that the Office of Planning may be better suited than the Department of Accounting and General Services to serve as the agency responsible for implementation of this measure.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment, Government Operations, and Transportation and Energy that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 559 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment, Government Operations, and Transportation and Energy,

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair	________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair
	________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair