H.B. 1545 Summary

• Establishes a new state law enabling the Department of Land and Natural Resources to develop regional-scale "adaptation pathways plans" for managing sea level rise impacts on residential, commercial, and resort development in coastal areas.

• Defines adaptation pathways as a collection of measures including elevating infrastructure, floodproofing, armoring, zoning modifications, and relocation of structures away from threatened coastal areas.

• Requires adaptation pathways plans to be developed regionally (at ahupuaa scale) through culturally-informed, community-engaged planning that considers shoreline types, erosion rates, and coastal flooding predictions.

• Allows time-limited temporary occupation of state and private lands by modified structures designed to withstand occasional flooding, provided they have minimal environmental impact and include timelines and triggers for ultimate removal and shoreline restoration.

• Appropriates unspecified general revenue funds for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the Department of Land and Natural Resources to initiate one regional adaptation pathways plan per county, with effective date of July 1, 2050 (except appropriations section effective July 1, 2024).