STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3392

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2423

H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Government Operations and Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred H.B. No. 2423, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require all state building construction projects and state highway projects to use building and construction materials that seek to reduce their carbon footprint, where feasible and cost-effective.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, one member of the Hawai‘i County Council, Kauai Women's Caucus, Climate Protectors Hawai‘i, 350.org, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Our Revolution Hawaii, and twenty individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committees find that climate change is a matter of global and statewide concern and that state government should be setting an example by affirmatively promoting climate change mitigation whenever possible. Hawaii, for obvious reasons, is particularly prone to the sea level rise that is associated with climate change. Accordingly, this measure will promote climate change mitigation efforts by requiring all state building construction projects and state highway projects to use materials that seek to reduce their carbon footprint, where feasible and cost-effective.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Government Operations and Agriculture and Environment that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2423, H.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

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

________________________________ MIKE GABBARD, Chair

________________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair