HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	318
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to vog.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  (a)  There shall be established within the office of Hawaii state civil defense an inter-agency volcanic activity task force.  The task force shall review the effects of volcanic activity, particularly the effects and impact of vog, on human health, school children, agriculture, farm and ranch animals, public infrastructure, the visitor industry, and any other issue the task force deems necessary.  The task force shall develop a plan and make recommendations to the legislature on addressing any issue the task force determines is feasible to address.  The task force may adopt resolutions encompassing any issue being reviewed by the task force and may forward these resolutions to any federal, state, or county agency for appropriate action.

     (b)  The inter-agency volcanic activity task force shall meet bi-monthly on Hawaii island at a place and time to be determined by the chair of the task force.  Meeting notices shall be posted by the task force as required under chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and public testimony at meetings shall be accepted by the task force.  The task force shall be dissolved on June 30, 2013.

     (c)  The office of Hawaii state civil defense shall provide administrative support, including the recording of minutes, to the inter-agency volcanic activity task force.

     (d)  The chair of the inter-agency volcanic activity task force shall be the vice director of civil defense.  The task force shall include the following members or their designee:

     (1)  Mayor of the County of Hawaii;

     (2)  The representative of the 4^th representative district;

     (3)  The representative of the 5^th representative district;

     (4)  The senator of the 2^nd senatorial district;

     (5)  Hawaii County Council members representing lower Puna and Kau;

     (6)  Director of Hawaii county civil defense;

     (7)  Director of Hawaii county department of public works;

     (8)  East Hawaii chair of the department of education;

     (9)  Chairperson of the board of agriculture;

    (10)  Chairperson of the board of land and natural resources;

    (11)  Chair of the East Hawaii regional board of the hawaii health systems corporation;

    (12)  Manager of Kau hospital;

    (13)  A representative from the Hawaii Volcanoes Observatory; and

    (14)  The executive director of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau for the island of Hawaii.

     The members of the task force shall serve without compensation and all necessary expenses, including travel expenses, shall be paid by the agency, organization, or department to which the member belongs.

     (e)  The inter-agency volcanic activity task force shall submit a preliminary plan and strategy report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2013.

     SECTION 2.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Health; Civil Defense; Agriculture; Volcanic Activity

Description:

Establishes a volcanic activity task force to discuss the impact of Vog on the people of Hawaii and find ways to address these issues.

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