STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1490

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     H.B. No. 1558

        H.D. 1

        S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Water and Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1558, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SUSTAINABILITY,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Office of Planning to update the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan and submit the updated plan to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2021 and every tenth session thereafter, using the goals and priority guidelines of the Hawaii State Plan and the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Initiative as guiding principles.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Auditor, Office of Planning, U.S. Green Building Council, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Hawaii Public Health Association, Hawaii Advocates for Consumer Rights, Ulupono Initiative, and four individuals.

 

     Your Committees find that climate change is the overriding challenge of the twenty-first century and one of the priority issues of the Legislature.  Climate change poses immediate and long-term threats to the State's economy, sustainability, security, and way of life.

     Your Committees find that the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Task Force and Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan were created to coordinate the actions needed to sustain a growing and vibrant economy, while maintaining a high quality of life for all residents and visitors.

 

     A ten-year measurement update of the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan (2008-2017) was published in March 2018 by the Office of Planning for the Office of the Auditor, which evaluated the metrics and indicators established in the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan.  This measure requires the Office of Planning to formally update the Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan every ten years, thereby furthering the State's sustainability goals and ensuring the quality of life in Hawaii.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by 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 Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1558, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1558, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

________________________________

KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair

 

________________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair