HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

591

TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to climate change.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that there is overwhelming evidence that human activities are altering the earth's climate and that climate change will have significant local and global health impacts.  Climate change and related health impacts transcend national borders and it is probable that climate change health impacts in other countries will affect the health of people throughout the United States, including Hawaii.  Famine, drought, extreme weather events, and regional conflicts, all likely consequences of climate change, increase the incidence of disease and contribute to various adverse health impacts, making it imperative to address climate change at the national and local level.  Climate change will affect the health of people globally and in Hawaii and it is imperative to mitigate the health-related impacts.

     The legislature further finds that as a result of Hawaii's unique geographic location and isolation, Hawaii is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including contamination or decrease in the water, food, and energy supply.  Various potential health impacts of climate change include respiratory allergies, airway diseases, food-borne diseases, biotoxin exposure, heat-related illnesses, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, vector-borne diseases, and waterborne diseases.  Yet, Hawaii's health community lacks the knowledge and training required to prepare for and respond to various potential health impacts of climate change.

     The purpose of this Act is to create a climate change and health working group to examine various potential health impacts of climate change and assist Hawaii's health professionals in effectively and efficiently preparing for and responding to the various potential health impacts.

     SECTION 2.  Section 225P-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (e) to read as follows:

     "[[](e)[]]  In developing the report, the committee shall:

     (1)  Solicit public views and concerns; [and]

     (2)  Coordinate with the various county, state, and federal agencies involved in ongoing climate change adaptation planning initiatives[.]; and

     (3)  Include the findings and recommendations of the climate change and health working group established by Act      , Session Laws of Hawaii 2015."

     SECTION 3.  (a)  There is established in the department of land and natural resources, for administrative purposes only, a climate change and health working group.

     (b)  The working group shall be composed of members to be appointed by the chairperson of the board of land and natural resources and the Hawaii Public Health Association and shall include members that represent the public and private health sectors.

     (c)  The working group shall:

     (1)  Assist the State's health professionals in effectively and efficiently preparing for and responding to various potential health impacts of climate change;

     (2)  Develop, integrate, and maintain state and regional disease surveillance and monitoring systems to respond to various potential health impacts of climate change, including but not limited to water and food safety and security, vector-borne infectious disease, respiratory and cardiovascular health, mental and behavioral health, and community or population-specific health;

     (3)  Create evidence-based tools to predict and monitor the public health impacts of climate change in the State;

     (4)  Identify and prioritize communities and populations that may be vulnerable to various potential health impacts of climate change and develop a strategy to inform and protect these communities and populations;

     (5)  Develop and recommend programs for public health care professionals and the public to promote climate-change preparedness and response strategies related to public health;

     (6)  Develop and recommend ways to expand and train the public health workforce to strengthen the workforce's ability to respond to and prepare for the various potential health impacts of climate change; and

     (7)  Develop and recommend ways to advance, implement, and support state and local preparedness, including communication and response plans.

     (d)  The working group shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the interagency climate adaption committee and provide the interagency climate adaption committee with ample time to incorporate the working group's applicable findings and recommendations into the interagency climate adaption committee's report due to be published no later than December 31, 2017.  The working group shall be dissolved on June 30, 2018.

     (e)  The members of the working group shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Climate Change and Health Working Group; Interagency Climate Adaption Committee

 

Description:

Requires the chairperson of the board of land and natural resources and the Hawaii Public Health Association to appoint members to a climate change and health working group to examine various potential health impacts of climate change and assist the State's health professionals in effectively and efficiently preparing for and responding to the various potential health impacts; and requires the interagency climate adaption committee to include the findings and recommendations of the climate change and health working group in the committee's report to the legislature.

 

 

 

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