SB1841

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the island of Hawaii needs dozens of emergency warning sirens, but despite budget increases, it could take years to add the sirens needed. The island of Hawaii currently has sixty-eight sirens, designed to warn the public about possible tsunamis, hurricanes, or other disasters and prompt them to tune to radio or TV channels. Seven new ones were added recently at Keauhou, Pepeekeo, Paukaa, Kilauea, Ahalanui Park, and Pohoiki, and the siren at Milolii was upgraded. However, fifty-two sirens are still needed, and many existing sirens are older mechanical models that run on regular electricity and should be replaced by blackout-proof sirens with self-contained solar cells.

The legislature further finds that each siren requires an engineering study before it can be installed, and communication links to trigger the sirens must be established. In addition, the state civil defense agency must work with developers of new communities to locate a site for the warning siren.

The purpose of this Act is to speed the process of installing replacement and new warning sirens.

SECTION 2. Section 128-10, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§128-10 Other powers. The governor further, irrespective of the existence of a civil defense emergency period, may:

(1) Cooperate with the President and the heads of the armed forces, and the civil defense agency of the United States, and with the officers and agencies of other states in matters pertaining to the civil defense of the State and nation and the incidents thereof, and take any measures which the governor may consider proper to carry into effect any request of the President or the appropriate federal officers and agencies, for any action looking to civil defense;

(2) Lease, lend, or otherwise furnish, on such terms and conditions as the governor may consider necessary to promote the public welfare and protect the interest of the State, any real or personal property of the state government or its political subdivisions, to the President, the heads of the armed forces, or to the civil defense agency of the United States;

(3) On behalf of the State enter into mutual aid agreements or compacts with the federal government and with other states. The agreements or compacts shall be limited to civil defense. It may be provided in an interstate compact, and the governor with the advice and consent of the political subdivisions included within the scope of the compact, may agree on behalf of the State that:

(A) Each party state shall extend to the civil defense forces of any other party state, while operating within its state limits under the terms and conditions of the compact, the same powers (except that of arrest unless specifically authorized by the receiving state), duties, rights, privileges, and immunities as if they were performing their duties in the state in which normally employed or rendering services;

(B) Whenever any person holds a license, certificate, or other permit issued by any state evidencing the meeting of qualifications for professional, mechanical, or other skills, the person may render aid involving this skill in any party state to meet an emergency or disaster and the state shall give due recognition to such license, certificate, or other permit as if issued in the state in which aid is rendered;

(C) No party state or its officers or employees rendering aid in another state pursuant to the compact shall be liable on account of any act or omission on the part of the forces while so engaged, or on account of the maintenance or use of any materials, equipment, goods, or facilities in connection therewith;

(D) As an alternative to paragraph (C), such other or modified form of immunity as the governor may find acceptable;

(E) Each party state shall provide for the payment of compensation and death benefits to injured members of the civil defense forces of that state and the representatives of deceased members of the forces in case the members sustain injuries or are killed while rendering aid pursuant to the compact, in the same manner and on the same terms as if the injury or death were sustained within the state;

(F) Any party state rendering aid in another state pursuant to the compact shall be reimbursed by the party state receiving aid, or by the United States government under plans approved by it, for any loss or damage to, or expense incurred in the operation of any equipment answering a request for aid, and for all costs incurred in connection with requests for aid; provided that this paragraph shall not be deemed to preclude the State, if it is the aiding state, from assuming in whole or in part the loss, damage, expense, or other cost, or from loaning the equipment or donating the services to the receiving party state without charge or cost;

(G) Any party state receiving evacuees shall be reimbursed generally for the out-of-pocket expenses incurred in receiving and caring for the evacuees, for expenditures for transportation, food, clothing, medicines, and medical care, and like items; the expenditures shall be reimbursed by the party state of which the evacuees are residents, or by the United States government under plans approved by it; and

(H) In the event of an evacuation, the party state of which the evacuees are residents shall, after the termination of the emergency or disaster, assume the responsibility for the ultimate support or repatriation of the evacuees;

(4) Sponsor and develop mutual aid plans and agreements for civil defense between the political subdivisions of the State and between one or more political subdivisions and other public or private agencies, for the furnishing or exchange of food, clothing, medicine, and other materials; engineering services, emergency housing; police services; health, medical, and related services; fire fighting, rescue, transportation, and construction services and facilities; personnel necessary to provide or conduct these services; and such other materials, facilities, personnel, and services as may be needed. The mutual aid plans and agreements may be made with or without provisions for reimbursement of costs and expenses, and on such terms and conditions as are deemed necessary;

(5) Order and direct government agencies, officers, and employees, state or local, to take such action and employ such measures for law enforcement, medical, health, fire fighting, traffic control, warnings, and signals, engineering, rescue, construction, emergency housing, and other welfare, hospitalization, transportation, water supply, public information, training, and other civil defense and emergency functions as may be necessary, and utilize the services, materials, and facilities of the agencies and officers. All such agencies and officers shall cooperate with and extend their services, materials, and facilities to the governor as the governor may request;

(6) Take possession of, use, manage, control, and reallocate any public property, state or county, real or personal, required by the governor for the purposes of this chapter, including, without limitation, airports, parks, playgrounds, and schools, and other public buildings. Whenever the property is so taken the governor shall have power to make such provision for the temporary accommodation of the government service affected thereby as the governor may deem advisable. Like provisions may be made at any time whenever it is necessary to relocate any government service because of any emergency condition;

(7) Utilize all services, materials, and facilities of nongovernmental agencies, relief organizations, community associations, and other civil groups and private agencies that may be made available;

(8) Receive, expend, or use contributions or grants in money, property, or services, or loans of property, or special contributions or grants in money, property, or services, or loans of property, for special purposes provided for by this chapter; establish funds in the treasury for the deposit and expenditure of the moneys; procure federal aid as the same may be available, and apply the provisions of chapter 29 in cases of federal aid even though not in the form of money. The contributions or grants are appropriated for the purposes of this chapter, or for the special purposes;

(9) Provide for the repair and maintenance of public property, whenever adequate provision therefor is not otherwise made; insure the property against any war risk, including without limitation damage or loss resulting from or arising out of an attack or action in resisting or combating an attack or apparent attack; provide for the restoration, renovation, replacement, or reconstruction of insured property in the event of damage or loss, and make temporary restoration of public utilities and other vital facilities in the event of an attack or other disaster;

(10) Purchase, make, produce, construct, rent, lease, or procure by condemnation or otherwise, transport, store, install, maintain, and insure, repair, renovate, restore, replace, or reconstruct, and distribute, furnish, or otherwise dispose of, with or without charges therefor, materials and facilities for civil defense and other emergency functions; provided that chapter 343 shall not apply to warning sirens; procure federal aid therefor whenever feasible; and take any measures which may, in the governor's opinion, secure, stimulate, or increase similar activities by private or public persons or organizations. Chapter 103D, sections 103-50, 103-50.5, 103-53, 103-55, 105-1 to 105-10, and 464-4 shall not apply to any civil defense or other emergency functions if and to the extent that the governor finds that the provisions, in whole or in part, impede or tend to impede the expeditious discharge of the functions, or that compliance therewith is impracticable due to existing conditions. In cases of extreme urgency during a civil defense emergency period the governor may suspend the penal provisions of sections 46-45 and 103-9, except those provisions that concern falsification;

(11) Appoint, employ, train, equip, and maintain, with compensation, or on a volunteer basis without compensation and without regard to chapters 76, 78, and 88, such agencies, officers, and other persons as the governor deems necessary to carry out this chapter; determine to what extent any law prohibiting the holding of more than one office or employment applies to the agencies, officers, and other persons; and subject to section 128-15, provide for and effect the interchange of personnel, by detail, transfer, or otherwise, between the State and any political subdivision, or among any agencies or departments of the State;

(12) Make charges in such cases and in such amounts as the governor deems advisable, for any property sold, work performed, services rendered, or accommodations or facilities furnished by the government under this chapter; and make charges for licenses or permits to cover administrative expense connected therewith;

(13) Make such contracts as may be necessary to carry out this chapter;

(14) Establish special accounting forms and practices whenever necessary; and

(15) Take any and all steps necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this chapter and to provide for civil defense and other emergency functions.

The powers and authority conferred upon the governor by this chapter are in addition to any other powers or authority conferred upon the governor by the laws of the United States and of the State for the same or a like purpose, and shall not be construed as abrogating, limiting, or modifying any such powers, or authority."

SECTION 3. Section 128-13, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§128-13 Power and authority of local organizations. Each political subdivision shall have the power and authority:

(1) Deputy director's staff. To provide, for the deputy director of such political subdivision, an assistant or assistants whose appointment shall be approved by the director of civil defense, and such technical, clerical, stenographic, and other personnel, office space, furniture, equipment, supplies, and funds as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. Chapter 76 shall apply to the full-time deputy director or the deputy director's first assistant.

(2) Appropriations, etc. To make appropriations and authorize expenditures for the purposes of this chapter, including the power to place under the control of the governor, for expenditure as matching funds for federal aid, or for any purpose within the powers of the governor, moneys appropriated by it; to make appropriations and authorize expenditures for the purposes of this chapter out of the normal revenues or fund balances or surpluses of the political subdivision, notwithstanding any legal restrictions upon the purposes for which the funds may be expended, except that pension and retirement funds, funds set aside for the redemption of bonds or the payment of interest thereon, trust funds, loan funds, and funds received from the federal government or from any person for specific purposes shall not be affected.

(3) Procurement, etc. To purchase, make, produce, construct, rent, lease, or procure by condemnation, or otherwise, transport, store, install, maintain, and insure, repair, renovate, restore, replace or reconstruct, and distribute, furnish or otherwise dispose of, with or without charges, materials and facilities for civil defense; provided that chapter 343 shall not apply to warning sirens; and to procure federal aid therefor whenever feasible. Chapter 103D, sections 103-50, 103-50.5, 103-53, 103-55, 105-1 to 105-10, and 464-4 shall not apply to any civil defense functions of and to the extent that the mayor finds that the provisions, in whole or in part, impede or tend to impede the expeditious discharge of the functions, or that compliance therewith is impracticable due to existing conditions.

(4) Personnel. To provide for the appointment, employment, training, equipping, and maintaining, with compensation, or on a volunteer basis without compensation and without regard to chapters 76, 78, and 88 of such agencies, officers, and other persons as it deems necessary to carry out this chapter; to determine to what extent any law prohibiting the holding of more than one office or employment applies to the agencies, officers, and other persons; and subject to section 128-15, to provide for the interchange of personnel, by detail, transfer or otherwise, between agencies or departments of the political subdivision, or between political subdivisions.

(5) Contributions. To receive, expend, or use contributions or grants in money, property, or services, or loans of property, or special contributions or grants in money, property, or services, or loans of property, for special purposes provided for by this chapter.

(6) Charges. To make charges in such cases and in such amounts as it deems advisable, for any property sold, work performed, services rendered, or accommodations or facilities furnished by the political subdivision under this chapter.

(7) Contracts. To make or authorize such contracts as may be necessary to carry out this chapter.

(8) Mutual aid plans. To participate in and carry out mutual aid plans and agreements or compacts, sponsored or developed by the state civil defense agency.

(9) Continuity of government. To insure continuity of government during a civil defense emergency period, the legislative body of a county may by ordinance, unless otherwise provided by law, provide the procedure for the appointment and designation of stand-by officers for the legislative body and the elected chief executive of the county for the emergency period, who shall serve in the event of the unavailability of the officers for whom they stand by."

SECTION 4. Upon completion of the installation of the warning sirens, the amendments made by this Act shall be repealed and sections 128‑10, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and 128-13, Hawaii Revised Statutes, are reenacted in the form in which they read on the day before the approval of this Act.

SECTION 5. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1841
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII