CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 11

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 243

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

C.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the House of Representatives to the amendments proposed by the Senate in H.B. No. 243, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SEA LEVEL RISE ADAPTATION,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to help the State prepare for the effects of climate change by:

(1) Requiring the Office of Planning, in cooperation with each state agency having operational responsibilities over state facilities, to:

(A) Identify existing and planned facilities that are vulnerable to sea level rise, flooding impacts, and natural hazards;

(B) Assess a range of options to mitigate the impacts of sea level rise to those facilities; and

(C) Submit annual reports to the Governor, Legislature, and Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission regarding the vulnerability and adaptation assessments for state facilities and the progress made in implementing sea level rise adaptation in future plans, programs, and capital improvement needs and decisions;

(2) Amending the Hawaii State Planning Act to include sustainable development, climate change adaptation, and sea level rise adaptation as objectives for facility systems; and

(3) Establishing planning and implementing considerations, policies, and practices related to disaster resilience and climate adaptation, including sea level rise, as a function of statewide concern.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing planning and implementing considerations, policies, and practices related to disaster resilience and climate adaptation, including sea level rise, as a function of statewide concern;

(2) Requiring the Office of Planning to coordinate sea level rise adaptation, rather than mitigation, with state agencies having operational responsibilities over state facilities;

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2021; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 243, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 243, H.D. 1, S.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE Chair	____________________________ DAVID A. TARNAS Co-Chair
____________________________ MIKE GABBARD Co-Chair	____________________________ NICOLE E. LOWEN Co-Chair
____________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI Co-Chair	____________________________ PATRICK PIHANA BRANCO Co-Chair