Bill > HB1598

This bill establishes the Hawaii Climate Institute at the University of Hawaii to address the escalating impacts of climate change in Hawaii and the Pacific region, aiming to foster collaboration, provide climate projections, develop educational programs, and attract funding for resilience research. The institute will be administratively attached to the University of Hawaii at Manoa's School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology and will integrate faculty from various disciplines, including climate science, public health, and Hawaiian knowledge systems, to build a climate-literate workforce and deliver locally-derived solutions. To support its operations and programs, a portion of the revenue generated from future increases to the Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT), which is a tax on temporary lodging like hotel rooms, and from the assessment of the TAT on cruise ship fares, will be allocated to the University of Hawaii annually starting in 2026. Additionally, the International Pacific Research Center will be transferred to and integrated into the new Hawaii Climate Institute, and funds are appropriated to support its core operations and collaborative research.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Education

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1598&year=2026