STAND. COM. REP. NO.  639-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2567

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2567, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure that our sick, elderly, and disabled population will have secure facilities in which to seek shelter during times of emergency by appropriating an unspecified amount of funds to the Department of Defense (DOD) to fund a study to assess the structural integrity of all hospitals and nursing home facilities in Hawaii, including their ability to withstand hurricanes and earthquakes.

     The Healthcare Association of Hawaii supported this bill.  DOD supported the intent of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style, clarity, and consistency.

     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 H.B. No. 2567, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2567, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs,

____________________________

CINDY EVANS, Chair