HANO supports Hawai‘i 2050 sustainability bill

The Hawai‘i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations has testified in favor of HB 2950, a bill that would implement the Hawai‘i 2050 Sustainability Plan and create a council to monitor and report on progress toward its goals.

Hawaii 2050 is a dynamic, inclusive process, reaching out to all communities to ensure maximum participation and communication. It fills a critical, immediate need for a plan for Hawaii’s future that focuses on insuring a sustainable environment and economy while preserving quality of life and the host culture’s values.

 The Hawaii 2050 Legislative Task Force developed the plan, holding hundreds of meetings over the last two years across the State to gather suggestions and comments. HB 2950 creates an advisory council designed to insure that the sustainable progress is being made and the benchmarks are being met. The membership of the council is crucial.

 Therefore, besides supporting the bill HANO recommends that the council include representation from the nonprofit sector, which represents 8 percent of the state’s economy, employs some 50,000 workers and serves hundreds of thousands of citizens statewide.

Nonprofits provide essential services, not just health and human service but recreation, art, culture, environment, education, youth development, public policy and many others that are both worth sustaining and important to a preferred future. HANO is prepared to fill that role as a voice for the sector if another nonprofit is not selected.