RELATING TO THE STATE PLAN.

HB1319

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1319

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO THE STATE PLAN
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�

The legislature finds that sustainable design concepts for public
infrastructure incorporate green vegetation and trees to decrease urban
temperatures, reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, and capture water
to replenish the water table.
�
The
effects of climate change have made implementing sustainable design concepts
more critical, as each passing year has seen increased temperatures and other
impacts from climate change.

����
Studies have determined that
individuals who live in areas that have more trees and green space are less
likely to have acute respiratory symptoms and less likely to die of heart
disease or respiratory disease.
�
Studies
have also found that green vegetation, trees, and properly designed and well‑maintained
infrastructure can also produce significant improvements to mental health and
have positive psychological and quality-of-life benefits in a community.
�
The Walt Disney Company uses these principles
in park design, including painting unsightly infrastructure, such as trash cans
and street lights, a standard shade of neutral green to blend them into the
surrounding environment to improve the quality of experience for visitors.
�
The same can be done in local communities to
produce similar mental health and quality-of-life benefits.

����
The legislature further finds that
Hawaii is world-renowned for its vegetation and that citizens and tourists
alike actively seek out green spaces.
�

Increasing the number of parks and green spaces in Honolulu's urban core
will enhance the quality of life of residents and visitors alike.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act
is to improve the quality of life in the State by:

����
(1)
�
Establishing
objectives, policies, and priority guidelines in the Hawaii State Planning Act
to achieve the use of green infrastructure, vegetation, and trees in state
facility systems, infrastructure, transit projects, and other areas;

����
(2)
�
Requiring the
office of planning and sustainable development, in partnership with the
greenhouse gas sequestration task force, to make recommendations for
implementing the green infrastructure objectives, policies, and priority
guidelines established by this Act; and

����
(3)
�
Appropriating funds for the purpose of this
Act.

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

����
"
�226-
��
��
Objectives and policies for facility
systems, infrastructure, and transit projects; green infrastructure.
�
(a)
�

Planning for state facility systems, infrastructure, and transit
projects with regard to green infrastructure shall be directed toward the
achievement of the following sustainability design objectives:

����
(1)
�
Minimizing
stormwater runoff and replenishing the water table;

����
(2)
�
Reducing the
urban heat-island effect;

����
(3)
�
Removing
pollutants
from the air; and

����
(4)
�
Removing, sequestering,
and storing greenhouse gas emissions.

����
(b)
�
Planning for state facility systems,
infrastructure, and transit projects shall incorporate the achievement of the
following quality-of-life experience design objectives:

����
(1)
�
Creating a
visual and sound barrier to enhance the quality of life in the surrounding
community; and

����
(2)
�
Incorporating
live foliage, trees, green infrastructure, and open green space, with a
priority on the use of non-invasive Polynesian introduced and Hawaiian plants.
"

����
SECTION
3.
�
Section 226-2, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, is amended by adding two new definitions to be appropriately inserted
and to read as follows:

����
"
"Green
infrastructure" means the range of measures that use plant or soil
systems, including trees, permeable pavement or other permeable surfaces or
substrates; stormwater harvest and reuse; or landscaping to store, infiltrate,
or evapotranspirate water and reduce flows to sewer systems or to surface
waters.

����
"Hawaiian
plants" has the same meaning as in section 103D‑408.
"

����
SECTION
4
.
�
Section 226-12, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

����
"(b)
�
To achieve the scenic, natural beauty, and
historic resources objective, it shall be the policy of [
this
]
the

State to:

����
(1)
�
Promote the preservation and restoration of
significant natural and historic resources.

����
(2)
�
Provide incentives to maintain and enhance
historic, cultural, and scenic amenities.

����
(3)
�
Promote the preservation of views and vistas
to enhance the visual and aesthetic enjoyment of mountains, ocean, scenic
landscapes, and other natural features.

����
(4)
�
Protect those special areas, structures, and
elements that are an integral and functional part of Hawaii's ethnic and
cultural heritage.

����
(5)
�
Encourage the design of developments and
activities that complement the natural beauty of the islands.

����
(6)
�
Promote the
increase of outdoor public green spaces.

����
(7)
�
Connect
outdoor public green spaces with existing trails.

����
(8)
�
Promote
the i
ncrease of the urban tree canopy.

����
(9)
�
Prioritize the use of Hawaiian plants where
feasible to contribute to Hawaii's historic and cultural heritage, sense of
place, biodiversity, and resilience.
"

����
SECTION
5.
�
Section 226-104, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

����
"
�226-104
�

Population growth [
and
]
,
land resources
, and green
infrastructure
priority guidelines.
�

(a)
�
Priority guidelines to effect
desired statewide growth and distribution:

����
(1)
�
Encourage planning and resource management to
insure that population growth rates throughout the State are consistent with
available and planned resource capacities and reflect the needs and desires of
Hawaii's people.

����
(2)
�
Manage a growth rate for Hawaii's economy that
will parallel future employment needs for Hawaii's people.

����
(3)
�
Ensure that adequate support services and
facilities are provided to accommodate the desired distribution of future
growth throughout the State.

����
(4)
�
Encourage major state and federal investments
and services to promote economic development and private investment to the
neighbor islands, as appropriate.

����
(5)
�
Explore the possibility of making available
urban land, low-interest loans, and housing subsidies to encourage the
provision of housing to support selective economic and population growth on the
neighbor islands.

����
(6)
�
Seek federal funds and other funding sources
outside the State for research, program development, and training to provide
future employment opportunities on the neighbor islands.

����
(7)
�
Support the development of high technology
parks on the neighbor islands.

����
(b)
�
Priority guidelines for regional growth
distribution and land resource utilization:

����
(1)
�
Encourage urban growth primarily to existing
urban areas where adequate public facilities are already available or can be
provided with reasonable public expenditures, and away from areas where other
important benefits are present, such as protection of important agricultural
land or preservation of lifestyles.

����
(2)
�
Make available marginal or nonessential
agricultural lands for appropriate urban uses while maintaining agricultural
lands of importance in the agricultural district.

����
(3)
�
Restrict development when drafting of water
would result in exceeding the sustainable yield or in significantly diminishing
the recharge capacity of any groundwater area.

����
(4)
�
Encourage restriction of new urban development
in areas where water is insufficient from any source for both agricultural and
domestic use.

����
(5)
�
In order to preserve green belts, give
priority to state capital-improvement funds [
which
]
that

encourage location of urban development within existing urban areas except
where compelling public interest dictates development of a noncontiguous new
urban core.

����
(6)
�
Seek participation from the private sector for
the cost of building infrastructure and utilities[
,
] and maintaining
open spaces.

����
(7)
�
Pursue rehabilitation of appropriate urban
areas.

����
(8)
�
Support the redevelopment of Kakaako into a
viable residential, industrial, and commercial community.

����
(9)
�
Direct future urban development away from
critical environmental areas or impose mitigating measures so that negative
impacts on the environment would be minimized.

���
(10)
�
Identify critical environmental areas in
Hawaii to include but not be limited to the following:
�
watershed and recharge areas; wildlife
habitats (on land and in the ocean); areas with endangered species of plants
and wildlife; natural streams and water bodies; scenic and recreational
shoreline resources; open space and natural areas; historic and cultural sites;
areas particularly sensitive to reduction in water and air quality; and scenic
resources.

���
(11)
�
Identify all areas where priority should be
given to preserving rural character and lifestyle.

���
(12)
�
Utilize Hawaii's limited land resources
wisely, providing adequate land to accommodate projected population and
economic growth needs while ensuring the protection of the environment and the
availability of the shoreline, conservation lands, and other limited resources
for future generations.

���
(13)
�
Protect and enhance Hawaii's shoreline, open
spaces, and scenic resources.

����
(c)
�
Priority guidelines to promote
the use of green infrastructure in state facility systems, infrastructure, and
transit projects:

����
(1)
�
Design all new state facilities,
infrastructure, and transit upgrades to include best practices for tree
planting and other green infrastructure.

����
(2)
�
Make provisions for maintaining trees by
following Accredited Standards Committee of the Tree Care Industry Association,
the ANSI A300, or similar best practice standards appropriate for Hawaii for
tree care.

����
(3)
�
Periodically revisit and modernize the
design and planting around the area where trees are planted in urban areas.

����
(4)
�
Select tree species matched to site
conditions to maximize tree health.

����
(5)
�
Select tree and vegetation species for
larger size at maturity where possible to maximize environmental benefits.

����
(6)
�
Prioritize the use of Hawaiian plants where
feasible to contribute to Hawaii's historic and cultural heritage, sense of
place, biodiversity, and resilience.

����
(7)
�
Promote traffic safety with placement of
foliage and trees consistent with Federal Highway Administration guidance,
outside of "clear zones".
"

����
SECTION
6.
�
The office of planning and
sustainable development, in partnership with the greenhouse gas sequestration
task force, shall submit a report to the legislature no later than twenty days
prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026 that includes:

����
(1)
�
Recommendations for implementing the green
infrastructure objectives and policies set out by section 226- ,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, and the priority guidelines set out by section
226-104(c), Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

����
(2)
�
Any other findings and recommendations,
including any proposed legislation.

����
SECTION
7.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $
����������
or so much thereof as may be
necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may
be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for:

����
(1)
�
The establishment of
�����
full-time equivalent (
��
.0) policy analyst positions, which shall be
exempt from chapter 76, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

����
(2)
�
Program funding for the purposes of this Act.

����
The sums

appropriated shall be expended by the department
of business, economic development, and tourism for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION
8.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 9.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

State
Plan; Green Infrastructure; Office of Planning and Sustainable Development;
Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Task Force; Report; Positions; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes
green infrastructure objectives, policies, and priority guidelines for state
facility systems, infrastructure, transit projects, and other areas in the
Hawaii State Planning Act to improve the quality of life for residents and
visitors.
�
Adds definition of "green
infrastructure".
�
Requires the
Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, in partnership with the
Greenhouse Gas Sequestration Task Force, to submit a report to the Legislature
making recommendations for implementing the green infrastructure objectives,
policies, and priority guidelines.
�

Establishes
�����
full-time
equivalent (
��
.0 FTE) policy analyst
positions within the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development.
�
Appropriates funds.
�

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.