H.B. 1578 Summary

• Requires sellers of residential real property to disclose in mandatory disclosure statements whether properties lie within a sea level rise exposure area as officially designated by the Hawaii climate change mitigation and adaptation commission, effective November 1, 2019.

• Adds sea level rise exposure areas to the list of five designated areas (alongside flood hazards, airport noise, military zones, and tsunami inundation areas) that must be identified on property disclosure maps by tax map key detail.

• Establishes shoreline setback requirements for all coastal lots based on erosion hazard rates and lot depth, with minimum setbacks of 25 feet and maximum setbacks up to 150 feet from the shoreline.

• Requires licensed surveyors to identify and mark shoreline setback lines on the ground before construction activities begin.

• Directs the Department of Land and Natural Resources to adopt rules enforcing the new shoreline setback standards, effective January 1, 2020.