RELATING TO CLIMATE RESILIENCE.

SB3030

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

3030

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating
to climate resilience
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that climate change is
already imposing multi-billion dollar economic losses on the State through a
combination of catastrophic events and slow onset impacts, including up to $12
billion in recovery costs from the 2023 Maui wildfires, $180 million in damages
from the 2018 Kauai "rain bomb", more than $19 billion in coastal
assets threatened by 3.2 feet of sea level rise, and an estimated $1.3 billion
per year in projected losses from coral reef decline by 2050.
�
These direct damages are compounded by
drought-driven agricultural impacts, such as $44.5 million in lost ranching
revenue and twenty thousand cattle lost during the 2007 to 2014 drought.
�
Escalating droughts and other climate-related
natural disasters also require increasing amounts of federal and state relief
funds.
�
Together with wildfire
suppression, freshwater scarcity, flooding of critical infrastructure, and
looming federal cuts to climate research, these climate impacts create an
extraordinary threat to the State's economic security and underscore the urgent
need for sustained state investment in climate resilience and research to avoid
even larger long-term economic burdens.

����
The
legislature further finds that the State continues to face escalating impacts
of climate change and variability, including sea level rise, declining
rainfall, and increasing air and sea surface temperatures.
�
These impacts include an increased likelihood
of extreme events such as flooding, hurricanes, droughts, wildfires, heat
waves, storms, and coastal erosion.
�

These catastrophic events have obvious impacts to property and infrastructure
but may also lead to growing public health risks, threatening lives,
ecosystems, cultural heritage, and economic stability across the State.

����
The
legislature recognizes that the university of Hawaii is uniquely positioned to
integrate advanced scientific analysis, Hawaiian knowledge systems, and
community partnerships to inform action.
�

Building this capacity will require developing and sustaining a skilled,
homegrown, climate-literate workforce that is capable of applying research to
real-world resilience challenges.

����
The
legislature also finds that recently proposed federal funding cuts to the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's climate research and services
would dismantle key functions, such as climate data collection, modeling, and
regional projections.
�
These cuts and
shifting priorities at the federal level are creating critical voids in
authoritative climate information essential for disaster preparedness,
agriculture, and infrastructure adaptation planning.

����
The
legislature additionally finds that there is no state agency tasked with
developing the climate science that underpins the State's resilience and
adaptation planning.
�
The State will be
vulnerable to increasing natural hazards if the gaps created by federal funding
cuts are not offset by state support for locally derived climate assessments,
robust and granular forecasts, and adaptation tools.
�
The legislature therefore finds that
establishing a body to coordinate and lead climate resilience research is a
matter of statewide concern pursuant to article X, section 6, of the Hawaii
State Constitution.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to establish the Hawaii climate institute at the
university of Hawaii to consolidate expertise, attract federal and
philanthropic funding to expand climate and community resilience research,
train the next generation of climate professionals, and deliver locally derived
solutions for issues specific to the State and the Pacific region.

����
SECTION
2.
�
Chapter 304A, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, is amended by adding a new subpart to part IV be appropriately
designated and to read as follows:

"Subpart .
�
Hawaii Climate Institute

����
�304A-A
�

Hawaii climate institute; establishment.
�
(a)
�

There is established at the university of Hawaii, Manoa campus, the
Hawaii climate institute.
�
The institute
shall be administered by a director to be appointed by the board of regents
upon recommendation by the president.
�

The institute shall be administratively affiliated with the school of
ocean and earth science and technology at the university of Hawaii at Manoa.

����
(b)
�

The Hawaii climate institute shall:

����
(1)
�
Foster cross-disciplinary collaboration
across the university of Hawaii system;

����
(2)
�
Provide granular, artificial
intelligence-enabled climate projections for use in planning, health, resource
management, and policy decisions;

����
(3)
�
Develop degree programs and curricula that
integrate climate resilience and Hawaiian knowledge;

����
(4)
�
Support internships, fellowships, and
field-based learning opportunities;

����
(5)
�
Build a climate-literate workforce
pipeline by preparing the next generation of Hawaii-based scientists, planners,
health professionals, and community leaders for careers in climate adaptation
and sustainability across all sectors;

����
(6)
�
Attract and leverage federal and
philanthropic resources to expand climate and community resilience research;
and

����
(7)
�
Elevate the university of Hawaii's
leadership role in global climate adaptation.

����
�304A-B
�
Faculty and staff; support positions.
�
The director of the institute shall
appoint the professional members of the staff and other employees.
�
The faculty of the Hawaii climate institute
shall include two administrative, professional, and technical staff positions
whose duties shall include maintaining institute operations and coordinating
research.

����
�304A-C
�
State agencies; duty to cooperate; collaboration
with the Hawaii climate institute.
�
(a)
�
The Hawaii climate institute shall receive
the full cooperation of all state agencies in the use of staff members,
facilities, and other resources necessary to accomplish the purposes of this
subpart.

����
(b)
�
The school of ocean and earth science and
technology, Thompson school of social work and public health, John A. Burns
school of medicine, hawaiinuiakea school of Hawaiian knowledge, and college of
tropical agriculture and human resilience at the university of Hawaii at Manoa
shall collaborate with the Hawaii climate institute to provide expert faculty
support as appropriate."

����
SECTION
3.
�
All rights, powers, functions, and
duties of the international Pacific research center at the school of ocean and
earth science and technology at the university of Hawaii at Manoa are
transferred to the Hawaii climate institute at the university of Hawaii at
Manoa established pursuant to section 304A-A, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

����
All
officers and employees whose functions are transferred by this Act shall be
transferred with their functions and shall continue to perform their regular
duties upon their transfer, subject to the state personnel laws and this Act.

����
No
officer or employee of the State having tenure shall suffer any loss of salary,
seniority, prior service credit, vacation, sick leave, or other employee
benefit or privilege as a consequence of this Act, and such officer or employee
may be transferred or appointed to a civil service position without the
necessity of examination; provided that the officer or employee possesses the
minimum qualifications for the position to which transferred or appointed; and
provided that subsequent changes in status may be made pursuant to applicable
civil service and compensation laws.

����
An
officer or employee of the State who does not have tenure and who may be
transferred or appointed to a civil service position as a consequence of this
Act shall become a civil service employee without the loss of salary,
seniority, prior service credit, vacation, sick leave, or other employee
benefits or privileges and without the necessity of examination; provided that
such officer or employee possesses the minimum qualifications for the position
to which transferred or appointed.

����
If
an office or position held by an officer or employee having tenure is
abolished, the officer or employee shall not thereby be separated from public
employment, but shall remain in the employment of the State with the same pay
and classification and shall be transferred to some other office or position
for which the officer or employee is eligible under the personnel laws of the
State as determined by the head of the department or the governor.

����
SECTION
4.
�
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 2026-2027 to hire faculty to
support the Hawaii climate institute in fulfilling its functions; provided that
the sum shall be expended as follows:

����
(1)
�
$
to establish four full-time (4.0 FTE) faculty positions within the school of
ocean and earth science and technology at the university of Hawaii at Manoa;

����
(2)
�
$
to establish one full-time (1.0 FTE) faculty position within the Thompson
school of social work and public health at the university of Hawaii at Manoa;

����
(3)
�
$
to establish one full-time (1.0 FTE) faculty position within the John A. Burns
school of medicine at the university of Hawaii at Manoa;

����
(4)
�
$
to establish one full-time (1.0 FTE) faculty position within the hawaiinuiakea
school of Hawaiian knowledge at the university of Hawaii at Manoa; and

����
(5)
�
$
to establish one full-time (1.0 FTE) faculty position within the college of
tropical agriculture and human resilience at the university of Hawaii at Manoa.

����
The
sum appropriated shall be expended by the university of Hawaii for the purposes
of this Act.

����
SECTION
5.
�
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 2026-2027 to be expended as follows:

����
(1)
�
$
to support the core operations of the Hawaii climate institute; and

����
(2)
�
$
for collaborative research and community engagement projects by the Hawaii
climate institute.

����
The
sum appropriated shall be expended by the university of Hawaii for the purposes
of this Act.

����
SECTION
6.
�
If any provision of this Act, or the
application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the
invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the Act that can
be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end
the provisions of this Act are severable.

����
SECTION
7.
�
In codifying the new sections added
by section 2 and referenced by section 3 of this Act, the revisor of statutes
shall substitute appropriate section numbers for the letters used in
designating the new sections in this Act.

����
SECTION
8.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1,
2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

UH; Manoa;
Hawaii Climate Institute; Establishment; Transfer; Positions; Appropriations

Description:

Establishes
the Hawaii Climate Institute at the University of Hawaii.
�
Transfers the functions of the International
Pacific Research Center at the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology
at the University of Hawaii at Manoa to the Hawaii Climate Institute.
�
Establishes positions.
�
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.