STAND. COM. REP. NO. 227

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1427

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1427 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CIVIL DEFENSE AGENCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to adjust the Civil Defense Vice-Director's salary pay scale to align with the federal general pay tables in order to commensurately compensate the Vice-Director for responsibilities of the position.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Defense, and the Department of Human Resources Development.

     Your Committee finds that providing an increase in salary for the Vice-Director of Civil Defense based on a percentage of the salary of the Director of Human Resources Development is not commensurate with the duties and responsibilities that are associated with the position.  Since the attack on September 11, 2001, the State Civil Defense was tasked with responsibilities to coordinate with a multitude of federal, military, state, county, and civilian organizations in order to spearhead the development and updates of contingency plans for force protection of critical infrastructures and disaster response.  The State Civil Defense is the sole agent for the State to receive, manage, coordinate, disburse, and expend Homeland Security grants totaling over $80,000,000 in federal funds.  Based on these increased responsibilities and duties, the compensation for the Vice‑Director within the salary range of a federal General Schedule 15 or a military Colonel is fair.  Currently, the mid‑range salary is approximately $105,000 per year.

     Your Committee amended this measure by adding language to further clarify that the Vice-Director's salary pay scale aligns with the federal general pay tables.

     The intent of your Committee is to establish the Vice‑Director's salary pay scale to align with the federal general pay tables.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1427, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1427, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

____________________________

LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair