SB 3030: UH; Manoa; Hawaii Climate Institute; Establishment; Transfer; Positions; Appropriations

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.

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.