STAND. COM. REP. NO. 564

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 461

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 461 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SEA LEVEL RISE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Sea Level Rise Relocation Program to coordinate mitigation measures, relocation, and site planning for public infrastructure and facilities affected by sea level rise;

(2) Establish the position of Sea Level Rise Relocation Coordinator;

(3) Establish the Sea Level Rise Relocation Special Fund; and

(4) Appropriate funds into the Sea Level Rise Relocation Special Fund for the establishment and operations of the Sea Level Rise Relocation Program.

The Office of Planning, IMUAlliance, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and several individuals supported this measure. The Department of Budget and Finance, Building Industry Association of Hawaii, and an individual provided comments.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting its substantive contents;

(2) Inserting new language which:

(A) Inserts a preamble;

(B) Requires the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission (Commission) to conduct certain activities to address sea level rise, including the identification of critical public infrastructure in impacted areas and providing policy direction to the Legislature with strategies for mitigation and adaptation to sea level rise;

(C) Requires the Commission to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature before the 2021 Regular Session; and

(D) Appropriates unspecified funds to the Commission to conduct the activities required by this measure and for the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Coordinator position; and

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2100, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy & Environmental Protection and Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 461, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 461, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair

____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair