Bill > SB239

This bill addresses Hawaii's increasing vulnerability to stronger hurricanes caused by climate change by amending state building codes to require certain state buildings, including public school buildings with construction starting on or after July 1, 2026, to be designed to withstand category five hurricanes and serve as emergency shelters. The legislation is motivated by findings that warmer seas have shifted hurricane patterns, making Hawaii more susceptible to increasingly powerful storms, with projections suggesting super category five hurricanes could become annual occurrences in the northern Pacific by 2080. The bill specifically mandates that fully enclosed state buildings capable of sheltering large populations must be constructed to withstand extreme hurricane conditions, with exceptions for correctional facilities, covered playgrounds, and sheds. Additionally, the bill continues to encourage energy efficiency and carbon footprint reduction in state building construction, requiring new state buildings to maximize energy and water efficiency, energy generation potential, and use of low-carbon building materials. This legislative effort aims to improve the state's disaster preparedness and protect residents by creating more resilient public infrastructure that can serve as safe refuges during catastrophic hurricane events.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=239&year=2026