STAND. COM. REP. NO. 577

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 233

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 233 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CLIMATE RESILIENCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative Program to design and implement a plan to increase jobs that strengthen emergency preparedness and climate resilience; and

(2) Authorize the use of the Energy Security Special Fund to advance the State's goals of strengthening emergency preparedness and climate mitigation.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office, 350Hawaii.org, and Coalition Earth.

Your Committee finds that, in response to the growing threat of natural disasters caused by climate change, the State has set renewable energy standards and launched carbon sequestration initiatives to strengthen the sustainability and resiliency of Hawaii. Your Committee notes that meeting these energy standards and goals will require increased employment in the climate resilience, clean energy, and emergency preparedness sectors. According to testimony received by your Committee, the Hawaii State Energy Office, the governmental agency that supports the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative Program, administers the Clean Energy Sector Partnership, a program established in 2003 to facilitate the development of workforce education and training programs, pre-job experience, and job placement in the energy sector. This measure provides another resource for the State to develop workforce initiatives in Hawaii's energy and other key sectors as it transitions to a clean energy economy.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 233 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs,

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GLENN WAKAI, Chair