STAND. COM. REP. NO. 627

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     S.B. No. 930

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 930 entitled:

 

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

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission and Coordinator to assist state and county agencies with developing and implementing various sea level rise adaptation plans and climate change mitigation efforts. 

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, one member of the Hawaii County Council, Ulupono Initiative, IMUAlliance, Hawaii Reef and Ocean Coalition, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Sierra Club of Hawaii, and two individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from one individual.

 

     Your Committees find that climate change is a major threat to the economy, environment, and overall well-being of the State.  Your Committees further find that this measure continues implementation of the Legislature's commitments to combat the impacts of climate change, specifically those commitments made in the 2014 Hawaii Climate Adaptation Initiative Act to establish the Interagency Climate Adaptation Committee, task the Committee with developing a sea level rise vulnerability and adaptation report, and task the Office of Planning with preparing a statewide adaptation plan, and Act 32, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017, which established the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission and a temporary Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Coordinator.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 930 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment and Water and Land,

 

________________________________

KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair

 

________________________________

MIKE GABBARD, Chair