Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2440 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of Hawaii's people. Specifically, this bill exempts from the Hawaii Uniform Information Practices Act government records pertaining to security measures to protect persons or property, whether public or private, against potential or actual terrorist threat or attack.

The state Department of Defense, Department of Human Resources Development, Office of Information Practices, and Honolulu Police Department testified in support of this bill. The League of Women Voters of Hawaii and Society of Professional Journalists-Hawaii Chapter offered comments on this measure.

Since the tragic events of September 11^th, federal, state, county, military, and private agencies have been working together to formulate action plans and prepare for potential terrorist attacks. These preparations are vitally important to the safety and welfare of the public. Although your Committee understands the need for openness in government, compromising these preparations could be detrimental to all of Hawaii's people.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2440 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.