Hawaii House Bill HR177

Hawaii 2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/8/24
• Refer: 3/14/24
• Report Pass: 3/22/24
• Refer: 3/22/24

Caption

Requesting The Attorney General To File A Lawsuit Against Big Oil Corporations For Climate Damages To The State And Engage A Third-party Law Firm That Has Expertise In This Legal Area.

Impact

The legislation seeks to expand the scope of legal claims against oil companies beyond the ongoing lawsuits filed by local governments. Current legal actions by the City and County of Honolulu and Maui County are limited in their address of climate-related damages, focusing on costs incurred by those entities. If the Attorney General acts on this resolution, it could lead to a statewide approach in seeking reparations from oil companies, potentially influencing future legislation on environmental accountability in Hawaii.

Summary

House Resolution 177 (HR177) requests the Attorney General of Hawaii to initiate a lawsuit against major oil corporations for damages related to climate change. This initiative arises from the recognition that big oil companies have contributed significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, and thereby to global warming, which in turn has led to severe costs for the state, including damage to infrastructure and increasing costs for public services. HR177 underscores the financial burden that climate change imposes on the state as it deals with infrastructure repairs necessitated by sea level rise and ocean acidification.

Contention

A notable point of contention arises from the implications HR177 has on public resources and state oversight of environmental issues. Proponents argue that holding oil companies accountable is essential for addressing the climate crisis and the associated costs incurred by the state. However, there may be concerns regarding the effectiveness of such lawsuits in achieving substantial financial reparations and the political implications of confronting powerful corporate entities. Moreover, the resolution points to a broader movement as several other states have initiated similar lawsuits against oil companies, which might serve as both a model and a point of contention in the debate over state responsibilities in climate change mitigation.