§127-11  Major disaster fund.  (a)  The director shall submit requests to the legislature to appropriate from the general revenues of the State sufficient moneys as may be necessary for expenditure by or under the direction of the governor for immediate relief in the event of the occurrence of any major disaster in any part of the State; provided that:

     (1)  The governor may not expend in excess of $2,000,000 for immediate relief of any single major disaster or emergency; and

     (2)  In addition to the funds in paragraph (1), an additional $2,000,000 shall be available solely for the purpose of matching federal disaster relief funds when these funds become available following a presidential disaster declaration.

In expending the moneys, the governor may allot any portion thereof to any agency, office, or employee, federal, state, or county, for the more speedy and efficient relief of the conditions created by the disasters.  The governor may determine whether a major disaster contemplated by this section has occurred.

     (b)  Federal reimbursement moneys for disaster relief shall be deemed to be trust moneys and may be deposited into a trust account with and under the control of the department of defense.  These moneys and any interest earned thereon shall be used for the purpose identified in subsection (a) and shall not lapse into the general fund. [L 1957, c 272, §§1, 2, 3; am L 1964, c 46, §4; Supp, §358-12; HRS §127-11; am L 1980, c 99, §1; am L 1981, c 188, §1; am L 1989, c 194, §1; am L 2006, c 115, §1; am L 2010, c 87, §2]