Hawaii House Bill HB1891

Hawaii 2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/19/24
• Refer: 1/24/24

Caption

Related To Climate Change.

Impact

To facilitate the reduction of vehicle miles traveled, the bill mandates the Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission to devise strategies that include setting a statewide VMT reduction target. The commission is also tasked with establishing benchmarks to evaluate progress towards this goal, as well as coordinating with state and county agencies to implement effective policies and programs aimed at reducing vehicle miles traveled. Ultimately, this legislation is expected to contribute to Hawaii's overall sustainability efforts and alignment with its environmental targets.

Summary

House Bill 1891 aims to address climate change by specifically targeting the reduction of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in the state of Hawaii. The bill recognizes the critical role that transportation-related emissions play in achieving Hawaii's greenhouse gas reduction goals, as vehicle miles traveled have seen a significant increase over the past 25 years. The findings suggest that existing strategies to mitigate these emissions have been largely ineffective, and without intervention, VMT is projected to continue rising.

Contention

One potential point of contention regarding HB1891 may arise from how the commission's recommendations will be integrated into existing transportation and environmental policies. Stakeholders may debate the effectiveness of these proposed strategies and the resources required for implementation. Additionally, concerns could be raised regarding the need for local input and adaptation to specific community needs when developing VMT reduction strategies, given that some areas may face unique challenges.