STAND. COM. REP. NO. 739

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     S.B. No. 1291

        S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1291, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to increase the resiliency of state facilities to climate change and sea level rise.

 

     Specifically, this measure requires the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, in cooperation with each state agency having operational responsibilities over state facilities, to develop a standardized process for assessing the vulnerability of state facilities to sea level rise, including:

 

     (1)  A standardized procedure and template; and

 

     (2)  Guidance to agencies for conducting the vulnerability assessments.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Land and Natural Resources; University of Hawaii; Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission; Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; Wild Kids; Imua Alliance; and one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that approximately two hundred seventy‑five facilities within the sea level rise exposure area are owned and managed by twenty different state agencies.  Your Committee further finds that this measure will assist the State in prioritizing future capital improvements required to adapt to sea level rise.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1291, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair