HI SCR22

Requests the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) to establish a grant program assisting persons who use albizia trees to create commercial products or develop new methods for using albizia in commercial products.

Requests DBEDT to conduct a study on economically feasible ways businesses may use albizia trees to produce commercial products, including housing, throughout the State.

Directs DBEDT to consult with the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and University of Hawaii School of Architecture during the study.

Requires DBEDT to submit a report of findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2024.

Addresses albizia trees as an invasive species that grows rapidly (up to 15 feet per year), disrupts native ecosystems, and poses safety hazards due to brittle branches prone to sudden collapse, with a 2018 demonstration showing albizia wood's potential as a building material.