Hawaiʻi families shouldn’t have to choose between keeping the lights on and protecting our homes. This month's devastating floods are the latest example of climate change's impacts on Hawai'i. We pay immediately in damages, and then again in higher insurance rates — with climate change doubling the cost of home insurance and tripling non-renewals. While Hawai'i families pay more, guess who isn't paying? Big Oil. Large oil and gas corporations knew decades ago that their products would make extreme weather disasters more destructive, but lied to the public about the problem — shouldn’t they pay their fair share of the rising costs?

That’s why legislators are advancing Senate Bill 1166 (SB1166), which would help keep home insurance affordable and available in Hawaiʻi. SB 1166 would empower the State and insurance companies to take large oil and gas corporations to court to hold them accountable for climate-related losses — and require that any proceeds be factored into lowering insurance rates for Hawai‘i residents, who are currently bearing these costs through sky-rocketing premiums or even being denied coverage by their insurers.

Tell your legislator to take action to protect working families and make polluters pay.