SB2977

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the State is increasingly vulnerable to the intensifying impacts of climate change, including sea level rise, coastal erosion, flooding, drought, wildfires, extreme heat, and severe storm events. These hazards threaten public health and safety, compromise infrastructure, strain economic stability, degrade ecosystems, and endanger irreplaceable cultural and natural resources.

While Hawaii has adopted several sector-specific adaptation plans, there is no comprehensive, integrated statewide implementation plan that assesses climate-related financial risk, prioritizes statewide cross-sector adaptation strategies, or coordinates long-term resilience efforts across jurisdictions. The absence of such a plan exposes the State to increasing fiscal and operational risk. Nationally, United States-based insurers have paid over $762 billion in climate‑related disaster claims between 2015 and 2024. The growing frequency and severity of these events have led to rising insurance premiums, reduced coverage availability, and heightened volatility in insurance markets. Credit rating agencies began recognizing the potential financial implications of climate change. Moody's Investors Service and Fitch Ratings have identified climate-related physical risks and resilience planning as important factors in evaluating public-sector credit worthiness. States and municipalities with high climate exposure and insufficient adaptation strategies face greater fiscal vulnerability, which may affect market perception, borrowing costs, and long-term credit competitiveness.

The legislature further finds that jurisdictions such as California, Maryland, and South Carolina have adopted formal, data-informed climate adaptation and resilience planning frameworks that examine climate risks and guide strategic decision-making, and cities such as Boston and New York City maintain structured climate resilience planning processes grounded in scientific projections and integrated into policy and infrastructure planning. These frameworks improve intergovernmental coordination, enhance regulatory consistency, reduce risk, and strengthen access to federal funding and climate-aligned capital.

Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to require the office of planning and sustainable development to develop and maintain a comprehensive Hawaii climate adaptation and resilience plan.

SECTION 2. Chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part II to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§226- Hawaii climate adaptation and resilience plan. (a) The office of planning and sustainable development shall develop and publish a Hawaii climate adaptation and resilience plan that aligns with the objectives established under this chapter, the State's multiple sustainability and climate targets, county general plans, county climate and sustainability plans, applicable federal and state climate and hazard mitigation programs, and the most accurate climate data and science based targets available.

(b) The purpose of the Hawaii climate adaptation and resilience plan shall be to:

(1) Determine the overall financial risk to the State associated with climate change;

(2) Aggregate and analyze statewide hazard, exposure, and climate vulnerability data for use in statewide and regional climate adaptation planning;

(3) Assess a range of options for the State to adapt to multiple hazards and climate change impacts; and

(4) Recommend specific strategies related to land use, zoning, infrastructure adaptations, resource allocation, and community investment to protect, enhance, and promote local economies, the environment, community well-being, and long-term climate resilience for the present and future benefit of the people of Hawaii.

(c) The office shall submit the Hawaii climate adaptation and resilience plan to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2028 and shall submit updates of the Hawaii climate adaptation and resilience plan every five years thereafter."

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $160,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 to establish:

(1) One full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) planner IV position; and

(2) One full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) planner V position.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the office of planning and sustainable development for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,840,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for climate risk and vulnerability modeling, cost benefit modeling and fiscal risk assessments, data visualization, monitoring and evaluation, public outreach and community engagement, plan development, and other expenses for the preparation of the Hawaii climate adaptation and resilience plan.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the office of planning and sustainable development for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2977
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII