HI SCR118

Urges the Office of Planning to timely conduct and complete regional plans and studies as required by Hawaii Revised Statutes section 225M-2(b)(7)

Requires the Office of Planning to conduct regional studies at intervals not less than once every five years to assess regional capacity for population and visitor increases

Mandates regional studies determine the physical, social, economic, and environmental impacts from population and visitor increases, and maximum annual visitor carrying capacity by region, county, and island

Notes the Office of Planning has not completed comprehensive, long-range, and strategic planning to meet state needs for the past twenty years

Committee on Ways and Means recommends adoption, finding the required regional data is critical to developing long-term goals for the state's future