Bill Text: HI SB283 | 2011 | Regular Session | Amended

Hawaii Senate Bill 283 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Sustainability; State Planning

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-0)

Status: (Passed) 2011-07-05 - (H) Act 181, on 7/5/2011 (Gov. Msg. No. 1285). [SB283 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2011-SB283-Amended.html

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	283
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII		H.D. 1
		C.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO SUSTAINABILITY.

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

SECTION 1. During the 2005 Special Session, the legislature adopted Act 8, Special Session Laws of Hawaii 2005 (Act 8), to create the Hawaii 2050 task force to review the Hawaii state plan and the State's planning process. The office of the auditor was required to prepare and submit to the legislature the Hawaii 2050 sustainability plan. In enacting Act 8, the legislature expressed its belief that government is responsible for resolving daily and immediate issues and public needs, while providing guidance to assure a sustainable future and outlook.

The creation of the Hawaii 2050 sustainability plan comes as the State faces a growing number of pressing issues, including the steady deterioration of public infrastructure, the lack of affordable housing, a continued reliance on a service-based economy, the vulnerability of Hawaii in a volatile global energy market, possible interruptions in travel and to critical food supplies, threats to fragile island ecosystems, ever-increasing numbers of residents, and an increasing number of visitors over the long term. These issues all raise questions about the long-term limits of growth in the State and highlight the need to begin planning and acting to assure Hawaii's future.

Clearly, a policy framework to establish sustainability as a state priority and ensure a coordinated and coherent approach to fulfilling the long-range vision for a sustainable Hawaii is needed. The mission of the Hawaii 2050 task force and the objectives of the Hawaii 2050 sustainability plan focus on the revitalization of the State's long-term planning process to better guide the future development of Hawaii. Addressing and solving issues critical to Hawaii's way of life and natural resources require coordinated community efforts to produce comprehensive, long-range planning policies and actions.

In 2008, the legislature adopted Act 225, Session Laws of Hawaii 2008 (Act 225), directing the University of Hawaii at Manoa college of social sciences public policy center to review the Hawaii 2050 sustainability plan and provide a definitive framework for policy makers including defined data, data sources, and benchmarks for each of the major goals.

The purpose of this Act is to establish sustainability as a state priority by implementing the recommendation of the social sciences public policy center to incorporate the Hawaii 2050 sustainability plan definitions, guiding principles, and goals, into chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

SECTION 2. Chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part III to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§226- Sustainability. Priority guidelines and principles to promote sustainability shall include:

(1) Encouraging balanced economic, social, community, and environmental priorities;

(2) Encouraging planning that respects and promotes living within the natural resources and limits of the State;

(3) Promoting a diversified and dynamic economy;

(4) Encouraging respect for the host culture;

(5) Promoting decisions based on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations;

(6) Considering the principles of the ahupuaa system; and

(7) Emphasizing that everyone, including individuals, families, communities, businesses, and government, has the responsibility for achieving a sustainable Hawaii."

SECTION 3. Section 226-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding three new definitions to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows:

""Ahupuaa" means a traditional native Hawaiian resource and behavioral management system that ensures respect for the air, land, water, and other scarce natural resources that make life sustainable from the mountains to the sea.

"Kanaka maoli" means native Hawaiians.

"Sustainability" means achieving the following:

(1) Respect of the culture, character, beauty, and history of the State's island communities;

(2) Striking a balance between economic, social, community, and environmental priorities; and

(3) Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

SECTION 4. Section 226-102, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§226-102 Overall direction. The State shall strive to improve the quality of life for Hawaii's present and future population through the pursuit of desirable courses of action in [~~five~~] six major areas of statewide concern which merit priority attention: economic development, population growth and land resource management, affordable housing, crime and criminal justice, [~~and~~] quality education[.], and principles of sustainability."

SECTION 5. The university of Hawaii public policy center, in consultation with the office of planning, shall submit a status and progress report to the legislature no later than December 21, 2011, that identifies the progress made in implementing the sustainability guidelines and principles set forth in this Act and any recommendations for legislation or other actions to facilitate the full implementation of the sustainability guidelines and principles set forth in this Act.

SECTION 6. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2011.

Report Title:

Sustainability; State Planning

Description:

Incorporates the definitions and guiding principles of the Hawaii 2050 sustainability plan into the Hawaii state planning act. (CD1)

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