SR 181: urging the department of business, economic development, and tourism to submit an annual Hawaii genuine progress indicator report to the legislature no later than thirty days prior to the convening of each regular session, beginning with the regular session of 2027.

SENATE RESOLUTION

urging the department of business, economic development, and tourism to submit an annual Hawaii genuine progress indicator report to the legislature no later than thirty days prior to the convening of each regular session, beginning with the regular session of 2027.

     WHEREAS, the State recognizes that traditional economic metrics, such as Gross Domestic Product, fail to capture the full spectrum of social well-being, environmental sustainability, and long-term economic welfare; and

     WHEREAS, the Hawaii Genuine Progress Indicator (HI GPI), which was developed and is maintained by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, represents a more holistic measure that incorporates economic, social, and environmental indicators to assess the true welfare impacts of economic activity in the State; and

     WHEREAS, the HI GPI comprises multiple indicator categories, such as economic, social, and environmental, that are further broken down into sub-indicators that collectively quantify positive contributions and negative costs affecting overall progress; and

     WHEREAS, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism's publicly available HI GPI methodology and calculation framework outline how personal consumption expenditures are adjusted by social services, built capital, natural capital, pollution costs, and other welfare-related components; and

     WHEREAS, an annual HI GPI report provided to the Legislature would enhance legislative understanding of Hawaii's economic welfare, guide policy development, and enable evidence-based decision-making rooted in broader measures of well-being; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is urged to submit an annual Hawaii Genuine Progress Indicator (HI GPI) report to the Legislature no later than thirty days prior to the convening of each Regular Session, beginning with the Regular Session of 2027; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in its annual report, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is urged to:

     (1)  Provide transparent findings from the most recent HI GPI analysis, including trends, changes, and insights in the State's economic welfare, environmental status, and social conditions as measured by the HI GPI; and

     (2)  Include, at a minimum:

          (A)  An executive summary that includes a clear, non-technical synopsis of overall HI GPI findings, major changes compared with prior years, and key takeaways for policymakers;

          (B)  Indicator results and trends for each major indicator category – economic, social, and environmental – that includes results and interpretation of the adjusted personal consumption baseline and all constituent sub-indicators that contribute positively or negatively to the HI GPI; social indicators capturing welfare effects on households, communities, human capital, public services, crime, health, and other social welfare measures; and environmental indicators quantifying natural capital valuation, pollution costs, depletion of resources, protected area services, and other ecological measures;

          (C)  A methodology overview that includes a concise explanation of the methodology used for calculating the HI GPI for that year, including data sources, any updates to methods, and a description of how the index balances economic output with social and environmental costs;

          (D)  A policy implications section that interprets how the HI GPI trends relate to existing or proposed state policies, including identification of structural factors driving changes in welfare measures and recommended policy responses grounded in the data; and

          (E)  A data appendix that includes tables, charts, and appendices presenting detailed annual figures for all indicators and sub-indicators used in the calculation of the HI GPI with sources; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is urged to make the annual report available electronically on its public website and transmit copies of the report to the Chairpersons of the House of Representatives and Senate Standing Committees with primary jurisdiction over economic development, budget, and the environment; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

Report Title: 

Hawaii Genuine Progress Indicator Report; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Annual Report