STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2845

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2769

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2769 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ENHANCED 911 SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the definition of "public safety agency" to refer specifically to state and county divisions, rather than divisions of any governmental entity.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services, State Fire Council, Honolulu Fire Department, Enhanced 911 Board, Hawaii County Police Department, Maui County Police Department, and Oceanic Time Warner Cable.

     Your Committee finds that the definition of "public safety agency" as a division of a "governmental entity" is too broad.  Under the existing definition, federally funded agencies may seek disbursements from the enhanced 911 fund, which would minimize the availability of funds for state and county public safety agencies.  This measure seeks to limit the access to enhanced 911 fund monies to divisions of the State or county that provide firefighting, law enforcement, ambulance, medical, or other emergency services or private contractors that provide such services for the State or county.

     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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2769, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair