STAND. COM. REP. NO. 196

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 314

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 314 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADAPTATION PATHWAYS PLANNING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission to develop adaptation pathways plans to modify and relocate development and associated infrastructure away from critically vulnerable areas to locations outside of sea level rise and coastal flooding exposure areas.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Department of Health; University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program and Climate Resilience Collaborative; Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission; Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition; Coalition Earth; Surfrider Foundation Hawaiʻi Region; and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that sea level rise and associated coastal hazards pose a significant and growing threat to Hawaii's natural and built environments, impacting communities, ecosystems, and public infrastructure. Without proactive planning, continued development in vulnerable coastal areas will result in costly damages, loss of public trust resources, and increased risks to residents and businesses. This measure requires adaptation pathways plans that promote long-term resilience through community-based planning, natural resource conservation, and strategic relocation of development away from high-risk areas.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $2,000,000.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 314, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 314, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair