RELATING TO THE CENTER FOR CLIMATE RESILIENT DEVELOPMENT.
Summary
HB1455 would create a Center for Climate Resilient Development within the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST). The bill states that Hawaii lacks a single office or agency responsible for developing community resiliency plans and that the new center would fill that gap by providing community-focused climate guidance, assessing hazards and vulnerabilities across the state, and recommending capital improvement and other shovel-ready projects to improve resilience.
The measure appropriates $3,000,000 from general revenues for fiscal year 2025-2026 and another $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2026-2027 to establish and operate the center. The bill also contemplates that the center will continue seeking outside funding to expand its research and modeling capacity. It is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.
Impact
HB1455 would add a new state-funded climate resilience function within UH SOEST and direct state general funds to support it over two fiscal years. It does not amend existing statutes directly, but it would strengthen the state’s climate modeling and planning infrastructure that is already used in sea level rise disclosure, environmental review, shoreline setback, and special management area processes. The primary affected parties would be the University of Hawaii, SOEST researchers, state and county agencies that rely on climate and sea level rise modeling, and communities seeking localized resilience planning.
Sentiment
The bill appears generally supportive and proactive in tone, reflecting concern about climate change hazards, sea level rise, wildfire risk, and the fragility of existing modeling capacity that depends on grants and contracts. The findings frame the proposal as a way to preserve and institutionalize expertise that the state and counties already use. No votes or committee testimony were provided, so there is no recorded opposition or amendment activity in the materials supplied.
Contention
The main point of contention suggested by the bill text is fiscal and institutional: whether the state should commit $6 million over two years to a new center at UH SOEST rather than rely on existing grant-funded capacity or other agencies. The bill also highlights concern that federal budget cuts and hostility to climate research could threaten current work, implying that supporters see state funding as necessary to protect the resource. Because no committee transcripts or votes are included, no specific opposing arguments or named opponents are available.
Urging The Governor, Mayors Of Each County, And The State To Work Towards A Just Climate Future By Integrating Indigenous Knowledge Into Policy And Decision-making Processes Related To Climate Adaptation, Climate Mitigation, And Climate Resiliency.
Urging The Governor, Mayors Of Each County, And The State To Work Towards A Just Climate Future By Integrating Indigenous Knowledge Into Policy And Decision-making Processes Related To Climate Adaptation, Climate Mitigation, And Climate Resiliency.
A resolution to direct the Clerk of the House of Representatives to only present to the Governor enrolled House bills finally passed by both houses of the One Hundred Third Legislature.
Relating to nonsubstantive additions to, revisions of, and corrections in enacted codes, to the nonsubstantive codification or disposition of various laws omitted from enacted codes, and to conforming codifications enacted by the 88th Legislature to other Acts of that legislature.