STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2549

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2933

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Agriculture and Environment, to which was referred S.B. No. 2933 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE I OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAII TO RECOGNIZE AND PROTECT THE INHERENT AND INALIENABLE RIGHT OF ALL PEOPLE TO CLEAN WATER AND AIR, A HEALTHFUL ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE, HEALTHY NATIVE ECOSYSTEMS, AND BEACHES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to propose a constitutional amendment to ensure that the inherent and inalienable right of the people, including future generations, to clean water and air, a healthful environment and climate, healthy native ecosystems, and beaches shall be protected and shall not be infringed.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, Recycle Hawaii, Greeanpeace Hawaii, Hawaii Chapter of 350.org, Friends of Hanauma Bay, Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (WOCAN), Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, Surfrider Foundation, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi, Climate Protectors Hawaiʻi, Green Amendments for the Generation, Hawaii Interfaith Power and Light, Hawaii Youth Climate Coalition, Kauai Climate Action Coalition, Kauai Women's Caucus, Hawaii Chapter of Our Revolution, Kauai Chapter of Surfrider Foundation, Trinity United Methodist Church, Zero Waste Hawaiʻi Island, Zero Waste Kauai, Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition, Kanalani Ohana Farm, and seventeen individuals.

Your Committee finds that climate change is an immediate threat that negatively affects the State, as evidenced by the climate-related drought conditions that contributed to the devastating wildfires across the State last year. Your Committee notes that the Hawaii State Constitution acknowledges the rights and duties of the State to protect natural resources but does not recognize the inalienable and self-executing right of all people to a clean and healthy environment. The constitutional amendment proposed in this measure will enhance the State's commitment to the health of its environments and the collective well-being of its people.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Agriculture and Environment that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2933 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment,

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MIKE GABBARD, Chair