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HCR 191

URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM TO SUBMIT AN ANNUAL HAWAII GENUINE PROGRESS INDICATOR REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE NO LATER THAN THIRTY DAYS PRIOR TO THE CONVENING OF EACH REGULAR SESSION, BEGINNING WITH THE REGULAR SESSION OF 2027.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Terez Amato and 8 co-sponsors

Hawaii would require annual Genuine Progress Indicator reports measuring economic well-being beyond GDP, submitted to legislature before 2027 sessions.

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Bill Summary · HCR 191

Legislative bill overview

HCR 191 is a concurrent resolution urging Hawaii's Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) to produce an annual Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) report and submit it to the legislature at least 30 days before each regular legislative session begins, starting in 2027. A GPI is an alternative economic metric that measures societal well-being by accounting for environmental costs, social factors, and income distribution alongside traditional GDP measurements.

Why is this important

Hawaii currently relies on GDP as its primary economic health metric, which doesn't capture environmental degradation, inequality, or quality-of-life factors. A GPI would provide policymakers with a more comprehensive picture of whether economic growth is actually improving residents' overall welfare, potentially shifting budget priorities and policy decisions. This could influence how the state evaluates development projects, tourism expansion, and environmental protection trade-offs.

Potential points of contention

  • Implementation costs and methodology: Developing a credible GPI requires significant resources, expertise, and decisions about which variables to include; disagreement may arise over what factors should be weighted and how
  • Political interpretation: Different stakeholders may use GPI data to support conflicting policy agendas (environmental advocates vs. business interests), potentially creating controversy over how findings are presented
  • Enforceability: As a concurrent resolution rather than binding legislation, this is a recommendation without legal force; DBEDT could deprioritize it if resource constraints emerge, limiting actual impact

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

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