STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1088

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 944

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 944, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to mitigate the effects of climate change by requiring the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission to prioritize the use of nature-based solutions.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Requires the Commission to prioritize the identification of and recommendations for utilizing nature-based solutions in its climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts;

(2) Requires the Commission to assess and make recommendations regarding insurance, reinsurance, and other risk transfer products or market mechanisms to incentivize investment in nature-based solutions; and

(3) Appropriates moneys to the Department of Land and Natural Resources to include nature-based solutions in the Commission's mitigation and adaptation efforts.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and The Nature Conservancy.

Your Committee notes that the Department of Land and Natural Resources requires $50,000 for each year of fiscal biennium 2019‑2021 for the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission. Further, your Committee notes that, although research and analysis of insurance, reinsurance, and other risk transfer products or market mechanisms that incentivize nature-based solutions are necessary, the Department of Land and Natural Resources has expressed concerns that the additional functions of the Commission under this Act will require additional resources.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation from $50,000 to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(3) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 944, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 944, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair