HCR139

WHEREAS, it is essential for the agencies and organizations in Hawaii that are responsible for disaster preparedness and response to be sufficiently organized and adequately funded to coordinate an effective response; and

WHEREAS, these agencies and organizations should have the capability to coordinate disaster response priorities, identify funding sources, and implement joint strategies for preparedness and response; and

WHEREAS, there are a number of agencies and organizations that support disaster preparedness and response, including the Hawaii National Guard, Civil Defense Division of the Department of Defense, the member organizations of the State Law Enforcement Coalition, and the members of the Hawaii Emergency Preparedness Consortium; and

WHEREAS, emergency preparedness and response organizations and agencies have a number of funding sources, including the State, private institutions, the United States Department of Homeland Security, and the United States Department of Defense; and

WHEREAS, in order to support an efficient and effective system of preparing for and responding to emergencies and disasters, it is essential that all agencies and organizations have clearly defined roles and the ability to seek and manage funds allocated to them; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Defense is requested to establish a task force having the following duties and responsibilities:

(1) Review the Department of Defense and Civil Defense Division organizational structure to ensure that the disaster preparedness and response capabilities are properly managed and funded;

(2) Review the organization, training, and staffing of law enforcement agencies in the State to ensure their capability to respond to a major statewide disaster;

(3) Review disaster management training for state and county agencies responsible for disaster response to ensure that they meet the requirements of the United States Department of Homeland Security;

(4) Review the training resources available from federal agencies to ensure that state and county agencies have access to those resources;

(5) Review compliance by state agencies with readiness standards established by the United States Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency;

(6) Review all sources of funds either dispersed or expended by the Department of Defense that are directly associated with disaster preparedness and response;

(7) Research the types and amounts of grants or services available to the state and county agencies for disaster preparedness and response from federal and private sources;

(8) Review the process for determining requirements and priorities for disaster preparedness and response grant requests;

(9) Review disaster preparedness and response grants that state and county agencies have applied for and received approval for, including amounts and requirements addressed in the grant request;

(10) Describe the processes for allocating disaster preparedness and response grant funds when the amount requested and the amount approved are different;

(11) Review the reasons for any disaster preparedness and response grant funds that have been allocated but not used; and

(12) Review the adequacy and use of state funds appropriated to the Civil Defense Division of the Department of Defense; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Adjutant General is requested to appoint the following members to the task force:

(1) The Adjutant General or the Adjutant General's designee;

(2) The Director of Civil Defense or the Director's designee;

(3) The director of the civil defense agency for each county or their designees;

(4) The chief of police for each county, or their designees;

(5) The Director of the Hawaii office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or the Director's designee; and

(6) The Director of the Pacific Disaster Center, or the Director's designee; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Defense is requested to submit the findings and recommendations of the task force, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later that twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2009; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Adjutant General, the Director of Civil Defense, the director of the civil defense agency for each county, the chief of police for each county, the Director of the Hawaii office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Director of the Pacific Disaster Center.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Disaster Preparedness and Response

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	139
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII