WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

SCR 164

PRIORITIZING EFFORTS TO PROTECT HAWAII'S CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FROM FOREIGN INFLUENCE.

2026 Regular Session

Hawaii should prioritize securing and making its critical infrastructure more resilient, reducing reliance on imports and foreign influence across all plans and programs.

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 831).
#criticalinfrastructure #foreigninfluence #stability
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SCR 164

Summary: SCR 164 (Session 2026) – Prioritizing Efforts to Protect Hawaii's Critical Infrastructure from Foreign Influence

Purpose and Intent

  • SCR 164 is a concurrent resolution in Hawaii urging state agencies and the state government to prioritize the security, resilience, and reliability of Hawaii’s critical infrastructure.
  • The resolution emphasizes reducing Hawaii’s dependence on imported goods and supplies and protecting critical infrastructure from foreign influence.
  • It requests consideration of resilience and security of critical infrastructure in all state plans, projects, programs, and decisions, and it calls for accelerated efforts to minimize exposure to volatility and geopolitical risks.

Key Provisions and Changes

  • State policy stance: The State is urged to “prioritize security, resilience, and reliability of critical infrastructure systems; protect these systems from foreign influence; and accelerate efforts to eliminate dependence on imports.”
  • Agency directives (requests to act):
    • State agencies are urged to prioritize security for critical infrastructure.
    • Agencies are urged to eliminate dependence on imported food, energy, and other commodities as quickly as possible.
    • Agencies should minimize exposure to volatility, risk, and impacts arising from foreign influence and events.
    • Resilience and security considerations of critical infrastructure should be integrated into all plans, projects, programs, and decisions.
  • Scope of impact: The resolution broadly targets critical infrastructure sectors such as communications, water, food, energy, and related services, and recognizes risks associated with reliance on imported materials and global supply chains.
  • Governance and communications: The resolution directs the transmission of certified copies to key state officials and entities, including the Governor and several heads of agencies and bodies (e.g., Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Director of Transportation; Adjutant General; Administrator of Emergency Management; Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources; Executive Officer of the Public Utilities Commission; Chief Information Officer of the Office of Enterprise Technology Services).

Who or What Would Be Affected

  • State agencies and departments involved in planning, procurement, energy, transportation, emergency management, land and natural resources, utilities regulation, and enterprise technology.
  • Critical infrastructure sectors in Hawaii (communications, water, food, energy, and related services) that could be targeted for policy shifts toward localization, resilience, and reduced import dependence.
  • Public health and safety operations, emergency preparedness, and economic security planning through the incorporation of resilience considerations into ongoing programs.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • The resolution is a concurrent resolution, meaning it expresses the legislature’s position and requests action by state agencies, but does not itself create binding law or allocate funds.
  • It was transmitted between chambers in April 2026 and progressed through committees (Agriculture; Commerce and Consumer Protection; and related legislative committees) with standard procedural recommendations (passage, amendments, or referrals) as part of the normal concurrent resolution process.
  • The resolution includes a formal instruction to transmit copies to relevant state officials, ensuring executive and agency awareness and potential implementation.

Overall Impact

  • Non-binding but high-level policy guidance directing Hawaii’s government to place greater emphasis on critical infrastructure security and resilience against foreign influence and import dependence.
  • Encourages a holistic, agency-wide integration of resilience into planning and decision-making.
  • Signals a state-level commitment to address supply chain vulnerabilities and geopolitical risk as part of long-term infrastructure planning.

If you’d like, I can break down potential fiscal or operational implications, or map specific agencies to concrete actions aligned with this resolution.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.