Directs the State Civil Defense Division to work with knowledgeable parties to compile information relating to disaster hazards across the State into a manageable and accessible electronic form and update it. Establishes the Commission on Disaster Hazard Information to oversee the process of compiling and updating this information.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. Hawaii, as an island state, faces unique problems in dealing with potential natural disasters. The risks involve a variety of natural disasters and after-effects, including hurricanes, earthquakes, lava inundation, tsunamis, flooding, and rock and earth slides. We have already seen from the Indonesian tsunami the massive devastation that a natural disaster can wreak on an island state such as ours.

Having recognized Hawaii's vulnerability to natural disasters, the legislature intends to improve the State's disaster readiness to protect the safety of its citizens and mitigate the potential damage caused by a natural disaster. The legislature finds that, based on recent history, government should take a multi-pronged approach to prepare for and respond to disasters.

One prong would be to provide reliable, readily available information relating to disaster hazards in a given area, upon which the public and business communities can make sound decisions. Such information can contribute to a family's decision to buy a home in a particular area, a bank's decision to issue a loan for the home, a home insurer's decision to provide risk coverage, a developer's decision to build a project in the area, or an engineer's decision to apply certain standards. All citizens deserve to know what potential catastrophies may occur in a certain area.

The legislature finds that there is a collection of information and maps from various sources that detail the probability, intensity, and location of possible events, including lava flows, tsunamis, and earthquakes. However, accurate information on other natural disasters such as flooding, hurricanes, other windstorms, and rock and earth slides is not as readily available.

SECTION 2. (a) The state civil defense division shall work with knowledgeable parties, such as the pacific disaster center and the University of Hawaii, to compile accurate information, including maps, relating to disaster hazards in the state into a manageable and accessible electronic form, and continue to update the information. The information shall include details about:

The information may be gathered from existing data collections, maps, and other sources in or out of the state.

(b) The information shall be updated at least annually by the state civil defense division.

(c) The state civil defense division shall ensure that the information is accessible by the public through the Internet or other electronic means.

SECTION 3. (a) There is established, within the civil defense division of the state department of defense for administrative purposes, a temporary commission on disaster hazard information to oversee the process of compiling information relating to disaster hazards in the state into a manageable and accessible electronic form and updating it.

(b) The director of civil defense or the director's designee shall serve as chair of the commission. The chair shall invite representatives from various disciplines as the chair deems necessary to participate as members of the commission.

(c) The members of the commission on disaster hazard information shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $      or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007 for the commission on disaster hazard information to oversee the process of compiling information relating to disaster hazards in the state into a manageable and accessible electronic form and updating it.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of defense for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $      or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007 for the state civil defense division to maintain and update information relating to disaster hazards in the state in a manageable and accessible electronic form.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of defense for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.