STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3379

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 849

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 849, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to recodify the emergency management statutes by updating statutes, clarifying the relationship between the state and the county emergency management agencies, and delineating the emergency management functions and powers of the Governor and mayors.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, the Department of Defense, the Civil Defense Division of the Department of Defense, the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, the Department of Agriculture, the Judiciary, the Office of the Mayor of the County of Kauai, the Hawaii County Civil Defense, the City and County of Honolulu Police Department, the Department of Emergency Management of the City and County of Honolulu, American Red Cross-Hawaii State Chapter, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, and the Civil Defense Advisory Council.  Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.  Written comments on this measure were received from the Public Utilities Commission.

     Your Committee finds that this measure represents an important step for Hawaii to become better prepared for the unexpected and provides for a more coordinated management of emergencies and disasters.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Clarifying the policy and purposes of the new statutory chapter on emergency management to specify that the Governor shall be responsible for the emergency management system of the State and for coordinating resources to effectively prepare for and respond to emergencies and disasters within the State;

(2)  Specifying that the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency established by this measure shall lead a comprehensive and collaborative emergency management system for the State;

(3)  Clarifying that in the event of an emergency or disaster beyond local control, the Governor may take control of the disaster or emergency incident, upon the request of the local entity;

(4)  Adding a new section to make a conforming amendment to section 321-23(c), Hawaii Revised Statutes, to delete the reference to chapter 127, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which is being repealed by this measure;

(5)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(6)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, style, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 849, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 849, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair