HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

204

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006

  

STATE OF HAWAII

  
   

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

requesting the state and the counties to prioritize expenditure of federal homeland security funds on interoperable COMMUNICATIONS systems.

 

 

WHEREAS, public safety and emergency response agencies in the State of Hawaii operate radio communication systems on different frequencies of the spectrum allocated for public safety use; and

WHEREAS, the use of different frequencies restricts the ability of public safety and emergency response agencies to communicate with one another and can delay the delivery of critical resources during an emergency; and

WHEREAS, an interoperable communication system will allow communications within and among the different public safety and emergency response agencies at the state and local level; and

WHEREAS, an interoperable communication system will enable public safety and emergency response personnel to communicate quickly and effectively during an emergency; and

WHEREAS, the State and counties receive funding from the United States Department of Homeland Security that can be used to upgrade public safety and emergency response communications systems; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, the Senate concurring, that federal homeland security funding received by the State of Hawaii and the four counties be used first and foremost for the development and implementation of a standards-based statewide and countywide system for interoperable communications between first responders of all government jurisdictions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, to ensure communications interoperability, a state or county agency that uses federal homeland security funding for the purchase of public safety radio communication equipment is requested to ensure that the equipment purchased complies with the following requirements:

(1) The common system standards for digital public safety radio communications commonly referred to as the "Project 25 Standard", as developed by the Associated Public-Safety Communications Officials, Inc., National Association of State Telecommunications Directors and Agencies of the Federal Government, commonly referred to as "APCO/NASTD/FED"; and

(2) The operational and functional requirements delineated in the Statement of Requirements for Public Safety Wireless Communications and Interoperability developed by the SAFECOM Program under the United States Department of Homeland Security; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that favorable consideration and funding priority shall be given to the following statewide and countywide interoperable public safety communication initiatives:

(1) State Law Enforcement Coalition for the implementation of the statewide 700 MHz, Project 25 interoperable communication system;

(2) County of Hawaii, to upgrade to a digital Project 25 interoperable communication system;

(3) County of Kauai, to upgrade to a digital Project 25 interoperable communication system; and

(4) County of Maui, to upgrade to a digital Project 25 interoperable communication system; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Director of Civil Defense, and the Mayor, Chief of Police, and the Fire Chief of each county.

 

 
 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Homeland Security; Interoperable Communications Sytems