HB461

SECTION 1. Chapter 225P, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding three new sections to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§225P- Sea level rise relocation program; purpose and duties. (a) There is created within the office of planning a sea level rise relocation program, which shall coordinate the siting and relocation of public infrastructure and facilities within the State in response to sea level rise and related effects of climate change. The sea level rise relocation program shall execute its functions in coordination with the Hawaii climate change mitigation and adaptation commission and any agency of the State or any of its political subdivisions that is affected by sea level rise or related effects of climate change.

(b) The sea level rise relocation program shall:

(1) Identify public infrastructure and facilities that are at risk from sea level rise and related effects of climate change;

(2) Determine strategies and create plans for mitigating the effects of sea level rise and related effects of climate change on identified infrastructure and facilities, where applicable;

(3) Develop plans for the relocation of infrastructure and facilities for which mitigation measures are insufficient, impracticable, or impossible;

(4) Coordinate the execution of mitigation measures or relocation plans in collaboration with the affected state or county agencies; and

(5) Coordinate with state and county agencies to determine appropriate siting of new public infrastructure and facilities so as to avoid negative effects, including increased life cycle costs and diminishment of functionality, due to sea level rise and related effects of climate change.

(c) The sea level rise relocation program shall submit an annual report to the legislature, which shall include reports of all mitigation measures, site recommendations, and relocation plans recommended to state and county agencies, an accounting of expenditures from the sea level rise relocation special fund, the status of all relocation and mitigation projects undertaken during the reporting year, and any proposed legislation. The program shall submit its annual reports no later than twenty days prior to the commencement of each regular session.

§225P- Sea level rise relocation coordinator. (a) There is created within the office of planning the position of sea level rise relocation coordinator to oversee the sea level rise relocation program. The sea level rise relocation coordinator shall direct the operations of the sea level rise program and shall be the primary point of contact for all agencies of the State and its political subdivisions with infrastructure or facilities affected by sea level rise and related effects of climate change.

(b) The sea level rise coordinator shall be appointed by the director of the office of planning without regard to chapter 76 and may be removed by the director. The sea level rise coordinator shall appoint program and administrative staff exempt from chapter 76 and, at the sole discretion of the director of the office of planning, may work in conjunction with program or administrative staff of the office of planning to carry out the duties and functions of the sea level rise relocation program.

§225P- Sea level rise relocation special fund. (a) There is created in the state treasury the sea level rise relocation special fund to be administered and expended by the office of planning for the purposes of the sea level rise relocation program.

(b) The sea level rise relocation special fund shall consist of:

(1) Moneys appropriated by the legislature to the special fund; and

(2) Interest or return on investments earned from moneys in the special fund."

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2019-2020 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 for deposit into the sea level rise relocation special fund established by section 225P- , Hawaii Revised Statutes.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the sea level rise relocation special fund the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2019-2020 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 for the establishment and operations of the sea level rise relocation program, including the hiring of a sea level rise relocation coordinator and necessary program and administrative staff.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the office of planning for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2019.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	461
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019
STATE OF HAWAII