SR 179: Affirming Hawaii's path to financial and economic security, resiliency, and self-DETERMINATION by Urging increased caution concerning foreign influence in hawaii's critical INFRASTRUCTURE AND calling on departments and agencies to accelerate the elimination of hawaii's dependence on imports serving critical infrastructure including fuels for electricity generation and intra-state transportation as soon as possible, but no later than 2045.

SENATE RESOLUTION

Affirming Hawaii's path to financial and economic security, resiliency, and self-DETERMINATION by Urging increased caution concerning foreign influence in hawaii's critical INFRASTRUCTURE AND calling on departments and agencies to accelerate the elimination of hawaii's dependence on imports serving critical infrastructure including fuels for electricity generation and intra-state transportation as soon as possible, but no later than 2045.

     WHEREAS, foreign influence in Hawaii has a long history that has seen local residents often exploited for strategic gain, and held financially captive by others abroad, which has stolen opportunities for local economic and financial security, resiliency, and true self-determination; and

     WHEREAS, among the concerns raised by growing foreign influence in the United States and Hawaii, protecting critical infrastructure such as airports and transportation hubs, freshwater systems, electrical grids, and telecommunications networks has been identified by federal authorities as an urgent security priority; and

     WHEREAS, these critical infrastructure systems are essential to the State's local economy, public health and safety, and overall stability, making them prime targets for foreign interference; and

     WHEREAS, numerous federal agencies responsible for national security have demonstrated that foreign governments, including those of adversarial countries, are actively seeking ways to access and control the United States' critical infrastructure; and

     WHEREAS, foreign access to critical infrastructure may allow malicious actors to disrupt essential services, steal sensitive data, or compromise security; and

     WHEREAS, even allied countries may inadvertently or intentionally exploit access to advance their own agendas, or whose foreign companies may operate with a primary legal and fiscal responsibility to ensure profit from Hawaiiʻs captive market, which may be at odds with the interests, security, resiliency, and self-determination of the people of Hawaii, especially because the interests and leadership of other countries may change suddenly or over time; and

     WHEREAS, a cautious and strategic approach to foreign investment and influence is therefore critical to safeguarding the State's interests; and

     WHEREAS, Hawaiiʻs long reliance on foreign imports serving critical infrastructure, such as imported fuels, has exacerbated the high cost of living for local residents, has exported billions of dollars out of the local economy each year, and has held local residents captive to foreign companies and influences out of the control of Hawaii’s local government, businesses, and residents; and

     WHEREAS, the volatility of imported fuels, influenced by foreign markets, wars, uncertainty in production and distribution, and economic decisions by suppliers abroad, has led to significantly more uncertainty for Hawaii, and significantly more unreliable and unpredictable escalations in cost; and

     WHEREAS, every dollar spent importing fuels from abroad is a dollar that could instead be invested in Hawaii to build infrastructure and provide for local production of Hawaii’s electricity and transportation needs, which would benefit local projects, jobs, and keep money circulating in the local economy, and in the long run eliminate the cost for imports providing critical services; and

     WHEREAS, by limiting foreign influence and strengthening oversight of the State's critical infrastructure systems, the State can ensure the resilience and security of its infrastructure against evolving threats, preserve public trust, guard national security, and protect its interests; and

     WHEREAS, Hawaii can best ensure economic security and a lower cost of living by limiting Hawaii’s reliance on imported fuels, and ensuring Hawaii maximizes its transition to local sourcing for electricity generation and intra-state transportation as quickly as possible, but no later than 2045; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that this body affirms Hawaii's path to financial and economic security, resiliency, and self-determination by urging increased caution concerning foreign influence in Hawaii's critical infrastructure and calling on departments and agencies to accelerate the elimination of Hawaii's dependence on all imported fuels for electricity generation and intra-state transportation as soon as possible, but no later than 2045; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body calls for ending the State's reliance on all imported fuels for electricity generation as quickly as possible, but no later than 2045, to maximize long term cost reduction for local families, achieve increased energy security and resiliency; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body calls for ending Hawaii's reliance on all imported fuels for intra-state transportation as quickly as possible, but no later than 2045, to maximize long term cost reduction for local families, achieve increased energy security and resiliency; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body requests that the Department of Transportation, Public Utilities Commission, and all other departments and agencies to take action to decrease the State's reliance on imported fuels; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Transportation, and Chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission.

Report Title: 

Critical Infrastructure; Foreign Influence; Security

SENATE RESOLUTION

Urging increased caution concerning foreign influence in hawaii's critical infrastructure.

     WHEREAS, among the concerns raised by growing foreign influence in the United States and Hawaii, protecting critical infrastructure such as airports and transportation hubs, freshwater systems, electrical grids, and telecommunications networks has been identified by federal authorities as an urgent security priority; and

     WHEREAS, these critical infrastructure systems are essential to the State's local economy, public health and safety, and overall stability, making them prime targets for foreign interference; and

     WHEREAS, numerous federal agencies responsible for national security have demonstrated that foreign governments, including those of adversarial countries, are actively seeking ways to access and control the United States' critical infrastructure; and

     WHEREAS, foreign access to critical infrastructure may allow malicious actors to disrupt essential services, steal sensitive data, or compromise security; and

     WHEREAS, even allied countries may inadvertently or intentionally exploit access to advance their own agendas, which may be at odds with the interests of the United States and the State, especially because the interests and leadership of these countries may change rapidly; and

     WHEREAS, a cautious and strategic approach to foreign investment and influence is therefore critical to safeguarding the State's interests; and

     WHEREAS, by limiting foreign influence and strengthening oversight of the State's critical infrastructure systems, the State can ensure the resilience and security of its infrastructure against evolving threats, preserve public trust, guard national security, and protect its interests; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that this body urges increased caution concerning foreign influence in Hawaii's critical infrastructure; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Transportation, and Attorney General.

Report Title: 

Critical Infrastructure; Foreign Influence; Security

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1628

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 179

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.R. No. 179 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING INCREASED CAUTION CONCERNING FOREIGN INFLUENCE IN HAWAII'S CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge increased caution concerning foreign influence in Hawaii's critical infrastructure.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from three individuals.

     Your Committees find that critical infrastructure systems, such as transportation hubs, water systems, and electrical grids are essential to the State's local economy, public health and safety, and overall stability.  Your Committees further find that numerous federal national security agencies have demonstrated that foreign governments, including those of adversarial countries, are actively seeking ways to access and control this critical infrastructure across the country.  Your Committees conclude that protecting Hawaii's critical infrastructure systems is imperative to ensuring the resiliency, public trust, and strength across the State.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the Legislature affirms Hawaii's path to financial and economic security, resiliency, and self‑determination by urging increased caution concerning foreign influence in Hawaii's critical infrastructure;

     (2)  Adding language that calls on departments and agencies to accelerate the elimination of Hawaii's dependence on all imported fuels for electricity generation and intra‑state transportation as soon as possible, but no later than 2045;

     (3)  Adding language that calls for ending the State's reliance on all imported fuels for electricity generation and intra-state transportation as quickly as possible, but no later than 2045, to maximize long term cost reduction for local families, achieve increased energy security and resiliency;

     (4)  Adding language that requests the Department of Transportation, Public Utilities Commission, and all other departments and agencies to take action to decrease the State's reliance on imported fuels;

     (5)  Specifying that a certified copy be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Public Utilities Commission, rather than the Attorney General;

     (6)  Updating legislative findings;

     (7)  Amending the title accordingly; and

     (8)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Public Safety and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 179, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 179, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation and Culture and the Arts and Public Safety and Military Affairs,