STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2615

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3060

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water and Land and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 3060 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO A CLIMATE ADAPTION AND RESILIENCE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to develop and publish a statewide climate adaptation and resilience implementation plan.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; American Flood Coalition Action; and two individuals.

Your Committees find that the State faces many challenges associated with climate change, including increased hurricane and tropical cyclone activity, rising temperatures, hazardous inland flooding and landslides, coastal erosion and sea level rise, drought, and increased wildfires in our communities. While many specific plans related to the State's climate adaptation have been published, there is no overarching statewide strategy in place to address the multiple climate hazards and land use concerns or to evaluate the State's risk and vulnerability. This measure addresses climate associated challenges the State faces by establishing a statewide climate adaptation and resilience implementation plan that aggregates and draws on the recommendations made by multiple agencies.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an unspecified appropriation amount;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water and Land and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3060, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3060, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land and Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

________________________________ LYNN DECOITE, Chair

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair