Updated Priorities for June Reconvening
/The Hawai‘i State Legislature will reconvene again from June 22 through July 10th to appropriate the remaining COVID-19 relief funding, make tweaks to the state budget, and potentially pass a handful of other non-fiscal bills.
Due to COVID-19 safety concerns, it is likely that the State Capitol will remain closed to the public, legislative hearings will be broadcasted online, and only written testimony will be allowed. There will also be no conference committee, which is normally one of the last steps of the legislative process where House and Senate Committee Chairs meet to discuss and approve the final drafts of bills. This means legislators are already figuring out budget issues and discussing which other bills to hear and pass. Below is a list of the Sierra Club’s updated bill priorities for when the legislature reconvenes next week.
Environmental bills we OPPOSE:
GM583 - Oppose the nomination of Christopher Yuen to the Board of Land and Natural Resources. Chris Yuen has already served for 14 years and has voted against environmental and cultural protections on numerous issues before the BLNR.
SB3036 - Oppose eliminating Hawai‘i’s solar tax credit, which not only makes installing solar systems on homes and local business affordable, but also lowers everyone's electricity bills, supports thousands local solar jobs in our communities, and provides tax revenue to the state. Learn more and take action HERE.
SB2812 and HB2035 - Oppose transferring 93,000 acres of watershed “pasture” lands on Hawai‘i Island from the Dept. of Land and Natural Resources to the Dept. of Agriculture. The Dept. of Ag lacks the mission to protect these lands of significant natural and cultural resources and could also exempt agricultural development of these lands from environmental and land use laws. Learn more and take action HERE.
SB2828 - Oppose amending the State Water Code to specify that fire safety is a beneficial use of water, potentially enabling the “waterbanking” of public trust resources. This bill is particularly relevant for Maui streams.
Environmental bills we SUPPORT:
Several of our environmental priority bills could still be passed this session. These bills have received little or no testimony in opposition, would not require state funding, and would help to address climate change impacts and boost our resiliency:
HB1878 - Support requiring sea level rise disclosure for real estate transactions, ensuring disclosure of the risks of purchasing properties in sea level rise exposure areas.
SB2060 - Support updating Hawai‘i’s coastal zone management law to prevent seawalls and protect beaches and coastal ecosystems.
SB2629 Proposed HD1 - Support aligning the expected closure of Hawai‘i’s last coal-fired power plant with a ban on coal in Hawai‘i beginning 2023.
HB2699 - Support establishing state goals for 100% clean ground transportation by 2045.
We SUPPORT COVID-19 Relief for Working Families:
In April, the state received $1.25 billion in CARES Act funding for COVID-19 relief and recovery. While some of these funds were appropriated to the counties to provide direct relief to struggling residents, $635 million in CARES funding was put into the state's "Rainy Day Fund" and still needs to be appropriated when the legislators reconvene in June.
The Sierra Club supports the Working Families Coalition’s proposal to allocate CARES Act funds to priorities like housing and food assistance, health care, social services, and child care. Hawai‘i already had the highest cost of living in the U.S. before COVID-19 hit. With nearly 140,000 people in Hawai‘i unemployed since April and a slow economic recovery ahead, many families are facing unprecedented financial hardship and need additional relief. Learn more and take action HERE.
The Sierra Club supports workers and vulnerable communities during this time of crisis. We will fight for a just recovery that helps working families and avoids exacerbating inequity and the ongoing global climate crisis.