HB 2026 Summary

• Requires the Legislative Reference Bureau to update its 1985 study titled "The Feasibility of Environmental Reorganization for Hawaii" and assess feasibility of implementing recommendations from the 1991 Department of Environmental Protection Task Force.

• Addresses fragmentation of environmental and natural resource management across multiple state departments and agencies, including water resource management split among the Department of Health, Department of Land and Natural Resources, and Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

• Authorizes the Legislative Reference Bureau to contract with outside entities to perform services necessary for completing the study.

• Requires submission of the updated study to the legislature no later than twenty days before the 2020 regular legislative session convenes.

• Appropriates funds from general revenues for fiscal year 2018-2019 to conduct the study, with an effective date of July 1, 2050.