STAND. COM. REP. NO. 884-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2618

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2618, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a Green Fee Special Fund to receive an allocation of green fee revenues;

(2) Establish various funds to receive allocations of green fee revenues; and

(3) Require the Governor to request, through a bill separate from the budget or supplemental budget, an amount that approximates green fee revenues subtracted from the amounts allocated to the various funds to be expended for certain climate change and tourism destination management projects.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Hawaiʻi Green Infrastructure Authority; Care for ʻĀina Now Coalition Leadership Committee; The Nature Conservancy Hawaiʻi and Palmyra; Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo; Hawaiʻi Reef and Ocean Coalition; Climate Protectors Hawaiʻi; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from Department of the Attorney General.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2618, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

CHRIS TODD, Chair