STAND. COM. REP. NO. 410

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 441

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 441 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for:

(1) The development of a database and data portal from data sources related to social vulnerability to climate change in the State; and

(2) The maintenance and updating of the data portal.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Health, Hawai‘i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Blue Planet Foundation, Energy and Climate Action Committee of the Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Imua Alliance, and twelve individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from six individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency.

Your Committee finds that climate change has dynamic, interrelated impacts on the State that require interdisciplinary solutions. A recent report identified data gaps that relate to a range of social vulnerability tools and climate change exposures that are critical to understanding the State's vulnerabilities. This measure initiates the development of a resource that would help the community and county, state, and federal agencies better understand the social impacts of climate change in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(2) Specifying that the development of the database is required to be coordinated with relevant stakeholders, including those involved in the existing hazard mitigation framework;

(3) Changing the expending agency of the appropriation from the Department of Land and Natural Resources to the University of Hawaii;

(4) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $500,000 for the development of the database and data portal and $100,000 for the maintenance and updating of the data portal.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 441, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 441, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection,

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair