STAND. COM. REP. NO. 715-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1774

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1774, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CENTRALIZED ACCESS TO RESOURCES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require and appropriate funds for the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission to develop, implement, and maintain a centralized resource website to connect residents to resources and support to address affordability, health, safety, and the impacts of climate change.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi; Carbon Cashback Hawaiʻi; Climate Protectors Hawaiʻi; 350Hawaii.org; and four individuals.

Your Committee finds that the climate and affordability crises are linked. The costs of climate change are not evenly distributed, and lower-income residents are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and less likely to have the financial resources to deal with them. This measure attempts to assist low- to moderate-income residents navigate these challenges by providing a centralized resource website to connect residents to programs, services, discounts, and other assistance that address affordability, health, safety, and the impacts of climate change.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the appropriation and allocations to unspecified amounts.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider appropriating $600,000 in the following manner:

(1) $500,000 for the development and implementation of the website; and

(2) $100,000 for the maintenance of the website.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1774, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1774, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair