STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1678-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: S.B. No. 2214

S.D. 2

H.D. 3

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2214, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISASTER PREPAREDNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to ensure a rapid and coordinated statewide disaster response by establishing a unified comprehensive strategy for identifying natural hazards, mitigating the effects of natural disasters, and responding to natural disasters.

The Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Budget and Finance, and Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism supported the intent of this bill. The Structural Engineers Association of Hawaii supported this measure with amendments. The Department of Health (DOH) and Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund opposed this bill. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Consumer Advocate, Department of Human Services, Department of Accounting and General Services, Public Utilities Commission, Hawaii Lumber Products Association, Hawaii Association of Realtors, Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Hawaii Electric Light Company, and Maui Electric Company provided comments.

 

Your Committee has amended this bill by, among other things:

(1) Removing the procedures for expenditure by the Governor of Emergency and Budget Reserve Fund moneys for natural disasters;

(2) Removing the increase in the expenditure ceiling of the major disaster fund for any single natural disaster;

(3) Removing all provisions regarding the Residential Disaster Assistance Special Fund;

(4) Removing all provisions regarding price gouging and profiteering during a state disaster;

(5) Requiring the interest earned from the principal in the Hurricane Relief Trust Fund be deposited in the Civil Defense Disaster Preparedness Special Fund (Civil Defense Special Fund);

(6) Capping the Civil Defense Special Fund at $20,000,000.

(7) Allowing moneys in the Civil Defense Special Fund to be used for additional purposes including:

(A) Developing a unified management strategy for disaster preparedness;

(B) Identifying vulnerabilities to natural hazards;

(C) Construct, retrofit, and improve buildings that could be used as public shelters;

(D) Develop statewide safe room standards;

(E) Purchase and maintain emergency supplies; and

(F) Purchase early warning systems;

(8) Adding additional duties for the Prepared Emergency Response Commission (Commission) including advising the Department of Defense (DOD) on the creation of a comprehensive plan in all matters pertaining to natural disaster preparation and natural hazards, mitigation, response, and recovery;

(9) Removing the requirement that DOD adopt the recommendations of the Commission;

(10) Requiring the DOD, rather than the Administration, to work with the counties to identify temporary emergency shelters;

(11) Requiring DOD, rather than the DOH to conduct a study to asses all hospitals and nursing homes;

(12) Requiring all existing health care facilities licensed and/or certified by DOH or the Department of Human Services to file a disaster preparedness plan with DOD;

(13) Clarifying that temporary emergency housing shall be for individuals and families that are made homeless due to a natural disaster;

(14) Requiring temporary shelters to include accessible entrances and exits and restrooms when the facilities are to be provided for disabled persons or persons with enhanced health needs;

(15) Requiring the Public Utilities Commission to determine if the risk of damage from natural hazards could be mitigated by placing electric or telecommunications systems below ground;

(16) Removing the provision establishing a rebuttable presumption in favor of placing electric transmission systems underground in tsunami prone areas;

(17) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2020, to promote further discussion; and

(18) Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2214, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2214, S.D. 2, H.D. 3.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

____________________________

DWIGHT TAKAMINE, Chair