STAND. COM. REP. NO. 137

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1336

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. 1336 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE GREENHOUSE GAS SEQUESTRATION TASK FORCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to repeal the Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Task Force (Task Force).

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and Office of Planning and Sustainable Development.

Your Committee finds that Act 15, Session Laws of Hawaii 2018, in part, established the Task Force to facilitate carbon sequestration and help streamline the State's climate mitigation and adaptation efforts will assist the State in meeting its clean energy and climate goals. Your Committee notes that, to achieve its mandated goals, the Task Force requires substantial research by subject-matter experts to develop strategies and mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions statewide. Your Committee also notes that although funds were appropriated in 2018 for the Task Force and its related efforts, no further appropriations have been made since. Your Committee recognizes that the Climate Change Mitigation and Adaption Commission established pursuant to section 225P-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, has similar objectives to the Task Force and, therefore, the Task Force should be repealed, given this redundancy in objectives.

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. 1336 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

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GLENN WAKAI, Chair