HB2696 SD1

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the August 2023 Maui wildfires destroyed more than two thousand homes and more than eight hundred places of business. Property damage has been estimated at $6,000,000,000, and lost business revenue has been estimated at $2,700,000 per day. Recovery is expected to take five to ten years.

The legislature further finds that establishing a commission to oversee the recovery process, understand the entirety of the recovery, accept input from the public, and provide a public-facing entity for recovery efforts will help to ensure that the recovery efforts consider the needs of all individuals involved.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to establish a commission to provide a comprehensive and integrated vision of the 2023 Lahaina wildfire recovery. The legislature does not intend for this commission to take the place of a regular information source for the community and government but instead provide:

(1) A public-facing entity that will simultaneously gather and disseminate information significant to the wildfire victims and the State at large, as recovery efforts proceed; and

(2) A conduit through which community-initiated guidance on the recovery efforts may be communicated to the public agencies conducting the recovery, remediation, and restoration activities.

SECTION 2. (a) There is established the Lahaina recovery oversight commission within the department of accounting and general services for administrative purposes. The purpose of the Lahaina recovery oversight commission shall be to oversee, report on, and guide the efforts taken to rebuild Lahaina, Maui, from the damages caused by the 2023 Lahaina wildfire.

(b) The commission shall consist of the following individuals, who shall serve as voting members:

(1) A member of the senate who represents the senate district that includes Lahaina;

(2) A member of the house of representatives who represents the house district that includes Lahaina;

(3) The mayor of Maui county, or the mayor's designee;

(4) An individual designated by the mayor of Maui county;

(5) Two members of the Maui county council, to be designated by the Maui county council chair; one of whom shall be from the west Maui district;

(6) The superintendent of education, or the superintendent's designee;

(7) The comptroller, or the comptroller's designee;

(8) The director of business, economic development, and tourism, or the director's designee;

(9) Three individuals designated by the speaker of the house of representatives who were residents of Lahaina, Maui, at the time of the 2023 Lahaina wildfire event; and

(10) Three individuals designated by the president of the senate who were residents of Lahaina, Maui, at the time of the 2023 Lahaina wildfire event.

(d) The commission shall select a chair from among its members. The commission may establish working groups.

(e) The commission shall invite members of the community; relevant for-profit and nonprofit entities; and relevant federal, state, and Maui county agencies and departments to participate in the public meetings of the commission.

(f) The members of the commission shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including reasonable travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.

(g) No later than December 31, 2024, the commission shall establish standards for the recovery, including identifying relevant issues for analysis; establishing goals for rebuilding Lahaina, Maui; and drafting metrics to measure progress toward achieving the goals. The commission shall consult with the community and policy leaders in developing the standards and metrics required by this subsection.

(h) With the assistance of the office of enterprise technology services, the commission shall establish a website to serve as a clearinghouse for information related to the 2023 Lahaina wildfire recovery. The website shall also accept comments and other input from the public regarding the recovery.

(i) The commission's proceedings shall be subject to chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

(j) No later than twenty days before the convening of the regular sessions of 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030, the commission shall submit an annual report to the legislature regarding the recovery of Lahaina, Maui, on the following matters:

(1) The status of rebuilding housing, educational facilities, and community facilities;

(2) The efforts taken for environmental restoration;

(3) The status of infrastructure restoration;

(4) Whether the well-being and other needs of impacted Maui residents have been addressed;

(5) The progress toward reaching the standards and goals established pursuant to subsection (g); and

(6) Findings, recommendations, and any proposed legislation.

(k) The commission shall cease to exist on June 30, 2030.

SECTION 3. In accordance with section 9 of article VII, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii and sections 37-91 and 37-93, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the legislature has determined that the appropriation contained in this Act will cause the state general fund expenditure ceiling for fiscal year 2024-2025 to be exceeded by $ , or per cent. The reasons for exceeding the general fund expenditure ceiling are that the appropriation made in this Act is necessary to serve the public interest and to meet the needs provided for by this Act.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the Lahaina recovery oversight commission.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of accounting and general services for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2112.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2696
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII		S.D. 1