Bill > SB2882

This bill mandates that certain state buildings, including public schools, colleges, and universities, that are designed on or after July 1, 2027, and intended to serve as emergency shelters, must be built to withstand Category 5 hurricanes, which are storms with wind speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour, and be usable as shelters during emergencies. The Department of Accounting and General Services is designated as the primary agency responsible for enforcing this requirement, working in conjunction with the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, and will be responsible for creating the necessary rules to implement these provisions. This measure is a response to findings that climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of hurricanes affecting the state, and that current shelter capacity is insufficient to protect the population in the event of a major storm.

Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=2882&year=2026