STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3392

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1714

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1714, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CLIMATE CHANGE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish an Interagency Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Committee within the Department of Land and Natural Resources to develop a sea level rise vulnerability and adaptation report for Hawaii through 2050.

 

     The measure also:

 

     (1)  Requires the Office of Planning to develop, monitor, and evaluate statewide strategic climate adaptation plans and actionable policy recommendations; and

 

     (2)  Appropriates funds to the Office of Planning and Department of Land and Natural Resources, respectively, for the purposes of the measure.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the State Sustainability Coordinator, the State Office of Planning, Hawaii Green Growth, The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, and the Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii.  The Department of Health submitted written comments.

 

     Your Committee finds that climate change poses one of the primary challenges of this century.  Your Committee further finds that beach erosion, drought, and rising temperature are already having measurable impacts on Hawaii and are expected to accelerate in the years to come.  Your Committee believes that this measure will help address the effects of climate change through 2050 to protect the State's economy, health, environment, and way of life.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, or the Chairperson's designee, shall serve as the Chairperson of the Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Committee;

 

     (2)  Providing that the members of the Interagency Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Committee shall serve without pay but shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses, including travel expenses, incurred in carrying out their duties;

 

     (3)  Combining the appropriations to the Office of Planning in sections 4 and 7 of the measure into one section;

 

     (4)  Clarifying that the appropriation to the Department of Land and Natural Resources in section 6 of the measure is for the Department to assist the Interagency Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Committee in researching and developing the sea level rise vulnerability and adaptation report; and

 

     (5)  Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1714, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1714, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair