STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2125

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2720

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2720 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE FIRE COUNCIL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Establish two full-time equivalency positions to enable the State Fire Council to more effectively meet its responsibilities; and

     (2)  Identify the budget of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations as the funding source for the foregoing positions and the meetings and other related functions of the Council.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Fire Council and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that the State Fire Council has sufficient administrative duties to warrant a full-time paid staff to assist the four county fire chiefs in administering the fire codes, building codes, and conducting inspections.  Currently, there is one contract worker to perform the function of administrator.  This measure establishes the positions of administrator and assistant administrator.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting the language proposing the establishment of the positions in a section of existing law rather than creating a new section and by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments.

     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. 2720, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2720, 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