Bill Text: HI SB699 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Disaster Preparedness.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-23 - Referred to PSM/CPN, WAM. [SB699 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2025-SB699-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
699 |
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THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO DISASTER PREPAREDNESS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that with warmer seas caused by climate change, the spawning area for hurricanes in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean has moved north. This greatly increases the potential for stronger storms and hurricanes to cross the Pacific Ocean and cause extreme winds and precipitation in Hawaii.
The legislature also finds that the natural features surrounding the State, including cooler surrounding waters, lower-level trade winds, and stronger upper-level winds in the opposite direction, have protected the State by tearing apart approaching hurricanes. However, the warming waters and the loss of two days of trade winds each year for the past fifty years have eroded the number of days the State enjoys those protective features to only half of the days of the year. For the other half of the days in the year, Hawaii's natural elements are less effective at slowing or stopping approaching hurricanes.
The legislature further finds that the warmer ocean waters have also strengthened the intensity of hurricanes; as a result, hurricanes classified as Categories 3, 4, and 5 have become stronger and more frequent. This strengthening has led climate change assessment models to modify predictions of Category 5 hurricanes with two hundred miles per hour sustained winds from occurring every eight years to every year by 2080. These storms are also expected to mostly occur in the northern Pacific, in which Hawaii is located.
The legislature additionally finds that Hawaii's investments in safety measures has not improved over time and vulnerability continues to worsen each year with aging infrastructure, property, homes, and facilities. Most of Hawaii's wooden homes — roughly 187,000 – would be damaged or destroyed under Category 1 hurricane conditions. Yet, Hawaii has a very limited number of refuge sites on each island. Oahu, for instance, has only thirty-two refuge areas that can accommodate up to one hundred thousand people. Even the event of a Category 1 hurricane, the city and county of Honolulu department of emergency management expects two hundred thousand people to seek shelter.
Furthermore, many of the State's refuge areas do not meet the standard to be deemed hurricane shelters, with few areas able to withstand a Category 2 hurricane. Only one shelter in State located in Hawaii county is meant to withstand a Category 4 hurricane. When a major hurricane strikes, there will be limited, if any, safe places for people to take shelter. Homes and condominiums built to withstand major hurricanes will be places of refuge for family and friends, which will hopefully reduce the number of people needing shelter.
Therefore, the legislature believes there is an obligation to the people of Hawaii and future generations for the State to encourage property owners to prepare their homes and condominiums to withstand hurricanes with sustained winds in excess of two hundred miles per hour.
Although providing a tax break for taxpayers who fortify their homes against strong winds and hurricanes will help many individuals, the legislature finds that a tax break will not help low-income people living in dangerous single-wall-construction houses, or low-income condominium owners, because these individuals do not make enough money to fortify their homes and condominiums. These individuals need additional money to strengthen their homes.
The legislature also believes that people earning up to eighty per cent of the area median income in Hawaii should have an opportunity to apply for grants to fortify their homes in amounts of between $25,000 and $50,000 for houses and $10,000 for condominiums. Since the homes of lower income people would probably be in poorer shape, these individuals will likely require $50,000 instead of $25,000.
If this funding can save these people and their homes during a hurricane, it will be worth many times that cost to the government in the recovery and rebuilding process. Increasing the resiliency of these structures and saving potentially thousands of households from becoming homeless after a major hurricane will also aid the State by not adding to the ongoing housing crisis.
The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds for the office of the governor, in collaboration with the insurance division of the department of commerce and consumer affairs, to oversee and administer grants to low-income residents, and condominium associations on behalf of low-income condominium owners, to fortify residential real property against hurricanes.
SECTION 2. 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 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the office of the governor, in collaboration with the insurance division of the department of commerce and consumer affairs, to oversee and administer grants for:
(1) Low-income residents making eighty per cent or less of the area median income to fortify their residential real property against hurricanes; and
(2) Condominium associations to cover the costs of windows and doors that can withstand two hundred miles per hour sustained winds; provided that the costs are for condominiums where the owner of the unit makes eighty per cent or less of the area median income.
Persons applying for these grants shall not apply for any other funds for hurricane fortification of residential real property.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the office of the governor for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Office of the Governor; DCCA; Hurricane Fortification Grants; Low-Income Residents; Condominium Associations; Appropriation
Description:
Appropriates funds for the Office of the Governor, in collaboration with the Insurance Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, to oversee and administer grants to low-income residents, and condominium associations on behalf of low-income condominium owners, to fortify residential real property against hurricanes.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
