HI SB3030

Establishes the Hawaii Climate Institute at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, administratively affiliated with the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, to conduct climate resilience research and training.

Transfers all functions, staff, and duties from the existing International Pacific Research Center to the new Hawaii Climate Institute, with protections for employee benefits and tenure.

Creates eight new full-time faculty positions across five UH Manoa schools: four in ocean and earth science, and one each in social work/public health, medicine, Hawaiian knowledge, and tropical agriculture.

Requires state agencies to cooperate with the institute and mandates collaboration from multiple UH schools to provide expert faculty support for climate research.

Appropriates unspecified general fund amounts for fiscal year 2026-2027 to hire faculty, support core operations, and fund collaborative research and community engagement projects, effective July 1, 2026.