Recap: Climate Advisory Team Legislative Session Update
By Climate Advisory Team
On April 16, the Climate Advisory Team (CAT) hosted a webinar about legislative progress on key climate and disaster resilience bills. The CAT members were joined by Will Kane, Senior Advisor to Governor Josh Green, M.D., who shared information about the legislative process and important bills that advance disaster resilience.
CAT member Chris Benjamin opened the webinar by underscoring one of the major findings of the policy paper: Hawaiʻi’s vulnerability to extreme devastation from disasters is increasing because of climate change. The projected losses from climate-related disasters are roughly $14 billion over the next ten years, but we can mitigate our vulnerabilities through immediate action on strategic resilience initiatives.
Several bills that address the CAT’s policy recommendations were introduced this session as part of the Governor’s package. Will Kane provided an update on the following disaster resilience bills under the Legislature’s consideration:
SB1396 and HB504: Both bills address the CAT’s recommendation to secure new revenue sources for resilience initiatives. They both propose increasing the Transient Accommodation Tax, or TAT, to create a source of revenue for environmental stewardship, climate and hazard mitigation and sustainable tourism. The Governor supports a 1% increase to the TAT, which would generate an estimated $90 million in additional revenues in FY 2027 and $100 million in additional revenues in FY 2030. A key difference between the bills is that SB1396, which was introduced as part of the Governor’s package, would direct the TAT revenues raised to a special fund that sets the money aside specifically for high-priority mitigation projects.
HB1064: This bill addresses the CAT recommendation to support, expand and appropriately resource the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Currently, Hawaiʻi does not have a state fire marshal, which is a significant vulnerability in our ability to respond to wildfires. HB1064 would provide much-needed funding and resources to the Office of the State Fire Marshal, which would have the authority to lead wildfire readiness and risk reduction programs.
HB300: Introduced by the Governor, the state budget bill contains a section that proposes creating an office with staff in Washington, D.C. This office is needed to help Hawaiʻi navigate the rapidly changing federal landscape, especially when it comes to disaster resilience funding that states are entitled to.
CAT member Kāwika Riley expanded on the changing federal landscape and how funding cuts affect the state. The reality is that the state cannot rely on federal funding to address critical resilience work that protects our most socially vulnerable communities from the impacts of disasters that will happen. The risk of not taking action is clearly displayed in the actuarial analysis commissioned by the CAT, which found that Hawaiʻi’s most socially vulnerable communities live in areas where the risks of wildfires and floods are among the highest in the state.
CAT member Denise Antolini shared ways to get involved in the legislative process. For the remainder of this legislative session, it will be critical to encourage legislators to support disaster resilience and climate mitigation bills. The CAT shared a social media toolkit you can use to express your support for the key legislative bills we need to pass this session. Download the toolkit by clicking the button below.
