RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

SB2483

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2483

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to the environment
.

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

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SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that the climate crisis
is the overriding challenge of the twenty-first century, presenting significant
threats to the environment, public health, and economic stability of the State.

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In 2024, the department of
transportation reached an unprecedented settlement in the
Navahine v. Hawaii
Department of Transportation
constitutional climate lawsuit, underscoring the
State's commitment to addressing climate change through responsible governance
and innovative solutions.
�
The settlement
further emphasized the importance of ensuring that future generations and youth
will inherit a life-sustaining climate with access to the same diversity and
cultural resources enjoyed by previous generations.

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The legislature recognized in Act
32, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017 (Act 32), that on December 12, 2015, one
hundred ninety-five countries at the 21st Conference of the Parties of the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted an agreement
addressing greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, adaptation, and finance
starting in the year 2020, known as the Paris Agreement.
�
Act 32 further documented the State's
commitment to implement the goals of the Paris Agreement, demonstrating the
State's proactive stance in contributing to global climate mitigation efforts
by systematically reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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Furthermore, the United States has
set ambitious, nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement,
aiming to significantly reduce national greenhouse gas emissions.
�
In December 2023,
the Hawaii state energy office completed the first Hawai
ʻ
i
Pathways to Decarbonization report to estimate sector and category-level
projections of greenhouse gas emissions necessary to reach the overarching
emissions target established in section 225P-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by Act
238, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022.
�

Through this work, sector-specific targets can be derived, providing a
clearer roadmap for achieving comprehensive emissions reductions across all
sectors of the State's economy.

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The legislature further finds that
the current overarching targets established within section 225P-5, Hawaii
Revised Statutes, are consistent with the nationally determined contributions
but can be strengthened by providing more specificity and clarity.
�
Similarly, the responsibilities and powers of
the Hawaii climate change mitigation and adaptation commission could be updated
to better address the environmental threats facing the State.

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Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to:

����
(1)
�
Establish an
executive committee and amend the membership and duties of the Hawaii climate
change mitigation and adaptation commission;

����
(2)
�
Require each member
agency of the Hawaii climate change mitigation and adaptation commission to
implement its own actions to address certain strategies and goals established
by the commission;

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(3)
�
Establish
reporting and review requirements for member agencies relating to climate
change mitigation and adaptation efforts and clean economy targets;

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(4)
�
Update reporting
requirements for the sea level rise vulnerability and adaptation reports;

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(5)
�
Allow the Hawaii
climate change mitigation and adaptation commission to enter into certain
procurement contracts; and

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(6)
�
Update the zero
emissions clean economy target.

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SECTION 2.
�
Section 225P-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding twelve new definitions to be appropriately inserted and to
read as follows:

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"
"Anthropogenic
greenhouse gas emissions" means the release of greenhouse gases into the
atmosphere as a direct result of human activities generated through sources including
but not limited to fuel combustion, industrial operations, deforestation,
agricultural practices, and waste management.

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"Carbon
sink" means any process, activity, or mechanism that removes greenhouse
gases, an aerosol, or a precursor of a greenhouse gas from the atmosphere.

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"Emission
leakage" means the net increase of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions
occurring outside an established inventory system boundary in one location or
sector that results from efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in another
location or sector.

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"Greenhouse
gas" means any gas in the atmosphere that traps or emits heat and results
in increasing the Earth's surface temperatures.
�

"Greenhouse gas" includes carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous
oxide, and fluorinated gases.

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"Greenhouse gas
emission" means the production or release of greenhouse gases from human
activities including but not limited to the burning of carbon-based fuels, the release
of gases from certain chemical reactions, the release and leakage of
refrigerants, the application of fertilizer, or deforestation.

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"Greenhouse
gas emitting category" means the various economic sub-classifications
within each sector as defined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
of the United Nations.

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"Greenhouse gas emitting
sector" means the various economic classifications that contribute to
greenhouse gas emissions, including the energy, transport, buildings, industry,
agriculture, forestry, and waste management sectors, as determined by the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change of the United Nations.

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"Greenhouse gas emissions inventory"
means the statewide greenhouse gas emissions inventory report published by the
department of health pursuant to section 342B-71.

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"Greenhouse gas
reservoir" means a physical unit or component of the biosphere, geosphere,
or hydrosphere with the capability to store, accumulate, or release a
greenhouse gas removed from the atmosphere by a greenhouse gas sink or a
greenhouse gas captured from a greenhouse gas emission source.

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"Member state agency"
mean any state agency represented by a member of the commission pursuant to
section 225P-3(c).

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"Member agency" mean
any state or county agency represented by a member of the commission pursuant
to section 225P-3(c).

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"Net greenhouse gas
emission" means the estimated balance between the emissions produced or
released into the atmosphere, subtracted from the emissions sequestered through
natural and technological processes, or the sum of emissions sources and sinks.
"

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SECTION
3
.
�
Section 225P-3,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

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"
�225P-3
�
Hawaii climate change mitigation and
adaptation commission; general functions, duties, and powers.
�
(a)
�

There is established the Hawaii climate change mitigation and adaptation
commission that shall be placed within the department of land and natural
resources for administrative purposes only.

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(b)
�
[
Coordination of the
]
The

commission shall be [
headed jointly by the chairperson of the board of land
and natural resources, or the chairperson's designee, and the director of the
office of planning and sustainable development, or the director's designee.
]

headed by a five-member executive committee, to be elected annually from
among the members of the commission at its first meeting of the calendar year.
�
The executive committee shall consist of:

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(1)
�
One of the commission members
described
in subsection (c)(1);

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(2)
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Two of the
commission members described
in
subsection (c)(2) to (14);

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(3)
�
One of the commission members
described
in subsection (c)(15); and

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(4)
�
One of the
commission members described in subsection (c)(2), (4), (6), (8), (9), (10),
(12), or (13) that is not elected under paragraph (3).

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(c)
�

The
commission
shall
include the following members:

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(1)
�
The chairs of the
standing
committees
of the
legislature with subject matter jurisdiction encompassing environmental
protection
, climate mitigation, transportation,
and land use;

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(2)
�
The chairperson of
the board of land and natural resources or the chairperson's designee[
, who
shall be the co-chair of the
commission
]
;

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(3)
�
The director of
the office of planning and sustainable development or the director's designee[
,
who shall be the co-chair of the
commission
]
;

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(4)
�
The director of
business, economic development, and tourism or the director's designee;

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(5)
�
The chairperson of
the board of directors of the Hawaii tourism authority or the chairperson's
designee;

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(6)
�
The chairperson of
the board of agriculture and biosecurity or the chairperson's designee;

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(7)
�
The chief
executive officer of the office of Hawaiian affairs or the officer's designee;

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(8)
�
The chairperson of
the Hawaiian homes commission or the chairperson's designee;

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(9)
�
The director of
transportation or the director's designee;

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(10)
�
The director of
health or the director's designee;

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(11)
�
The [
adjutant
general
]
administrator of the Hawaii emergency management agency
or
the [
adjutant general's
]
administrator's
designee;

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(12)
�
The [
chairperson
]

superintendent
of [
the board of
] education or the [
chairperson's
]

superintendent's
designee;

��
[
(13)
�
The directors
of each of the county planning departments, or the directors' designees; and

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(14)
]

(13)
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The [
manager of the coastal zone
management program.
]
comptroller or the comptroller's designee;

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(14)
�
The chief
energy officer or the officer's designee; and

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(15)
�
The directors
of each of the county planning departments, or the directors' designees.

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(d)
�

In addition to the members listed in subsection (c), the [
chairs of
the
commission
]
executive committee

may
request [
the participation or input of
] members of the public; experts
in the field; [
and
] county, state, or federal officials [
or
]
;
and
others as necessary[
.
]
to participate in or provide input to
the commission.

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(e)
�

The members of the
commission
shall
serve without pay but shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary
expenses, including travel expenses, incurred in carrying out their duties.

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(f)
�

The commission shall provide policy direction, facilitation,
coordination, and planning among state and county agencies, federal agencies,
and other partners as appropriate.

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(g)
�

The commission shall establish climate change mitigation and adaptation
strategies and goals to help guide planning and implementation statewide using
the latest scientific analysis and risk assessment to monitor and forecast
climate change related impacts at the regional, state, and local level,
including any additional information deemed necessary.
�
Each member agency shall implement actions
within its own agency to address the strategies and goals established by the
commission.

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(h)
�

The commission shall identify vulnerable people, communities,
industries, ecosystems, and the potential economic
and public health
ramifications
for climate change related impacts.

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(i)
�

The commission shall identify existing climate change mitigation and
adaptation efforts at the federal, state, and local levels and make
recommendations [
for how
]
, set standards, and determine direct
actions needed
to meet or exceed Hawaii's state mitigation goals and shall
adopt a liberal approach in preparation, so as to minimize future risk to the
people and environment of Hawaii.

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(j)
�

The commission shall assess the capacity and availability of existing
resources and identify new sources of revenue necessary to address climate
change mitigation and adaptation and shall advise the governor, legislature,
and counties on the economic and budgetary ramifications of climate change
impacts, mitigation, and adaptation.

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(k)
�

The commission
and each member agency
shall identify the
information necessary to track progress in implementing climate change
mitigation and adaptation efforts and shall
each
submit an annual report
to the governor and legislature no later than twenty days prior to the
convening of each regular session of the legislature.

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(l)
�

The commission shall maintain a website that includes a mission
statement as well as access to climate change related actions, plans, policies,
and results.

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(m)
�

The commission shall conduct a comprehensive review of the
implementation as required by this section and submit a report to the governor,
legislature, and the counties no later than twenty days prior to the convening
of the regular session of 2023 and every five years thereafter.
�
Each member agency shall select
implementation actions relating to climate mitigation and adaptation that align
with the agency's primary purpose and submit to the commission a comprehensive
review of its implementation actions no later than twenty days prior to the
convening of the regular session of 2028 and every five years thereafter.
�
The commission shall assist member agencies with
the documentation requirements specific to each agency and make the reports
publicly available.

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(n)
�

The commission shall[
, as a first step, focus on and develop
]
maintain
and publish
sea level rise vulnerability and adaptation reports that shall
include:

����
(1)
�
Identification of
the major areas of sea level rise impacts affecting the State and counties
through 2050[
;
]
and shall publish updated reports as these impacts
over a fifty-year planning horizon are identified;

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(2)
�
Identification of
expected impacts of sea level rise based on the latest scientific research for
each area through 2050[
;
]
and shall publish updated reports as these
expected impacts over a fifty-year planning horizon are identified;

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(3)
�
Identification of
the economic ramifications of sea level rise;

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(4)
�
Identification of
applicable federal laws, policies, or programs that impact affected areas; and

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(5)
�
Recommendations
for planning, management, and adaptation for hazards associated with increasing
sea level rise.

The [
reports shall be made publicly available no
later than December 31, 2017, and the
] commission shall reevaluate and
update the
2017
sea level rise vulnerability and adaptation report every
five years.

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(o)
�

In developing the report, pursuant to subsection (n), the commission
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.

����
(p)
�
The commission may
enter into contracts for the procurement of goods and services to advance
climate change mitigation and adaptation
.
"

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SECTION
4
.
�
Section 225P-5,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

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"
�225P-5
�
Zero emissions clean
economy target.
�
(a)
�
Considering [
both atmospheric carbon and
]

all in-state anthropogenic
greenhouse gas emissions as well as [
offsets
]

carbon sink capacity
from the local
in-state
sequestration of
atmospheric carbon [
and greenhouse gases
] through long-term
carbon

sinks and
greenhouse gas
reservoirs, a statewide
net greenhouse gas
emission
target is hereby established to sequester more atmospheric carbon
and greenhouse gases than
are anthropogenically
emitted within the State
as quickly as practicable[
, but no later than 2045; provided that the
statewide target includes a greenhouse gas emissions limit, to be achieved no
later than
]
.

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The net greenhouse gas emissions
target shall be as follows:

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(1)
�
By December 31,

2030, [
of
]
statewide net greenhouse gas emissions shall be
at
least fifty per cent below the level of the statewide
net
greenhouse gas
emissions in 2005[
.
]
, as determined by the greenhouse gas emissions
inventory; and

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(2)
�
By December 31,
2045, statewide net greenhouse gas emissions shall be no greater than zero.

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(b)
�
The commission shall work:

����
(1)
�
With
stakeholders in all greenhouse gas emitting sectors and categories to develop
and inform science-based targets in those sectors and categories; and

����
(2)
�
To ensure that
all member agencies avoid emission leakage resulting from policies, projects,
and programs implemented to achieve the targets established pursuant to this
section.

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[
(b)
]
(c)
�
The [
Hawaii climate change mitigation and
adaptation
] commission shall [
endeavor to
]
provide policy and
program guidance to member agencies and non-governmental agencies on the
actions needed to
achieve the goals of this section.

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(d)
�
After January 1, [
2020,
]
2027, member
state
agency plans, decisions,
including procurement decisions,
and
strategies shall [
give consideration to
]
consider
the impact of
those plans, decisions, and strategies on the State's ability to achieve the [
goals
]

targets outlined
in this section, weighed appropriately against their
primary purpose.

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(e)
�
Each member agency shall submit to the
commission and include in its annual report to the legislature and governor pursuant
to section 225P-3(k) a summary of actions taken, or not taken, to help the State
meet the established clean economy targets.
�

The commission shall develop a standardized reporting template to
facilitate reporting for member agencies.
"

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SECTION 5.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

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SECTION 6.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Hawaii
Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission; Duties; Executive
Committee; Member Agencies; Reports; Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and
Adaptation Reports; Zero Emissions Clean Economy Target

Description:

Establishes an executive committee and amends the
membership and duties of the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
Commission (Commission).
�
Requires each member
agency of the Commission to implement its own actions to address certain
strategies and goals established by the Commission.
�
Establishes reporting and review requirements
for member agencies relating to climate change mitigation and adaptation
efforts and clean economy targets.
�

Updates reporting requirements for the Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and
Adaptation reports.
�
Allows the
Commission to enter into certain procurement contracts.
�
Updates the zero emissions clean economy
target.

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