STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2061

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1487

H.D. 1

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 H.B. No. 1487, H.D. 1, 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 sea level rise, caused by climate change, on the Honolulu shoreline.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Establishes the Honolulu shoreline climate protection pilot project within the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission;

(2) Requires the commission to:

(A) Partner with the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency of the City and County of Honolulu to plan a system of coastal protections for certain areas that designates different protection compartments;

(B) Submit reports to the Legislature in 2019 and 2020 on the status of the development of the pilot project; and

(C) Submit a final report to the Legislature in 2021 on the pilot project; and

(3) Appropriates moneys to the commission for the development of the pilot project.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; University of Hawaii; Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency of the City and County of Honolulu; Hawaii Operating Engineers Industry Stabilization Fund; League of Women Voters of Hawaii; Surfrider Foundation; The Nature Conservancy; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the potential impacts of climate change on the State necessitates mitigating measures.

Your Committee has amended this measure by designating the existing substantive provisions of the measure as Part I and, inserting as a Part II, language from H.B. No. 1584, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, which:

(1) Requires the Office of Planning to:

(A) Conduct a study regarding the implementation of a statewide carbon tax;

(B) Submit an interim report of its progress, findings, and recommendations to the Legislature no later than December 31, 2019;

(C) Submit status reports at the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission's quarterly meetings; and

(D) Submit a final report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than October 31, 2020;

(2) Authorizes the Office of Planning to contract with a third party to assist in the study; and

(3) Appropriates moneys to the Office of Planning to conduct the study.

Your Committee has also amended the measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure and 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 H.B. No. 1487, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1487, H.D. 1, 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