Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 982, S.D. 2, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to increase the number of emergency public shelters by appropriating $2,000,000 from the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund (HHRF) in each fiscal year of the 2005-2007 fiscal biennium to retrofit public buildings with the installation of hurricane protective measures.

The Department of Defense and Structural Engineers Association of Hawaii supported the intent of this bill. A concerned individual supported this measure with amendments. The HHRF Board and Hawaii Association of Realtors opposed this bill. The Department of Budget and Finance provided comments.

Your Committee finds that this measure will help to address the state's shortfall of emergency shelters by funding the retrofitting of public buildings. However, your Committee expresses concern that some new buildings do not meet hurricane standards.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 982, S.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.