STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1028

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 163

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 163 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE CIVIL DEFENSE DIVISION OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO INSTALL ADDITIONAL CIVIL DEFENSE WARNING SIRENS IN AREAS STILL WITHOUT SIRENS AND ENSURE THAT ALL SIRENS ARE IN WORKING ORDER AT ALL TIMES IN CASE OF DISASTER EMERGENCIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Civil Defense Division of the Department of Defense to install, as a matter of immediate urgency, additional civil defense warning sirens in areas still without sirens and ensure that all sirens are in working order at all times in case of disaster emergencies, and to report to the Legislature on the status and progress of these efforts no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2012.

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

     Your Committee finds that news reports of the March 11, 2011, tsunami in Hawaii indicated that some civil defense warning sirens were inoperable or that there were still pockets of communities without warning sirens.  The placement of additional civil defense warning sirens and public safety communications equipment throughout the State will improve the timeliness of the Emergency Alert System in transmitting evacuation and other information to the public through radio and television.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 163 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs,

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair