STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3666

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 80

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 80, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE STATE TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A STATEWIDE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SIMULATION EXERCISE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency of the Department of Defense to develop and implement a statewide emergency management simulation exercise.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Health.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Defense and Disability and Communication Access Board.

     Your Committees find that Hawaii is extremely geographically isolated, with its nearest neighbor no less than 2,200 miles away.  As a result of this isolation, the State is dependent on sea and air transportation for many vital goods and products.  Your Committees further find that, in the event of a major disaster that simultaneously affects many critical sectors of the community, the State would probably be forced to undertake emergency response efforts without outside assistance for a prolonged period of time before adequate federal disaster relief aid could be organized and mobilized.  Hawaii has never experienced a major disaster that simultaneously disrupts many critical sectors of the community, so it is unclear whether the State would have the resiliency to appropriately respond to such a disaster if it did occur.  Your Committees additionally find that a comprehensive emergency management simulation exercise would help the State to be better prepared in the event of a major disaster.  Your Committees also find that a comprehensive emergency management simulation could be incorporated into the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency's existing Makani Palihi exercises.

     Your Committees further find that many at-risk persons, including persons with disabilities, elderly persons, children, and persons with limited English proficiency, have special needs that should be adequately considered in the event of a major disaster.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requesting the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to incorporate the emergency management simulation exercise into the annual Makani Palihi exercise;

     (2)  Requesting that the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency include the Disability and Communication Access Board as a partner in the Makani Palihi exercise; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 80, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 80, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair

________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair