STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1351-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.C.R. No. 197

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy & Environmental Protection, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 197 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST BIG OIL CORPORATIONS FOR CLIMATE DAMAGES TO THE STATE AND ENGAGE A THIRD-PARTY LAW FIRM THAT HAS EXPERTISE IN THIS LEGAL AREA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request that the Attorney General file a lawsuit against big oil corporations for climate damages to the State and engage a third-party law firm that has expertise in this legal area.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; 350Hawaii.org; and Greenpeace Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that big oil companies have an enormous carbon footprint and have significantly contributed to climate change. Your Committee further finds that in a lawsuit filed by the City and County of Honolulu, the Hawaii Supreme Court rejected claims made by defendants that big oil and gas companies do not fall within state court jurisdiction and that there is no public nuisance claim for a climate damages case under Hawaii law. This measure requests that the Attorney General file a lawsuit against big oil corporations for climate damages to the State and engage a third-party law firm that has expertise in this legal area.

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 197 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

NICOLE E. LOWEN, Chair