STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3376

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 61

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 61 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO PROMOTE INCREASED PARTICIPATION BY SCHOOLS IN THE COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to further community resilience and prompt, effective response to disasters by encouraging the Department of Education to promote increased participation by schools in the Community Emergency Response Team program.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Disability and Communication Access Board and two individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

     Your Committee finds that the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a federally-sponsored program that provides training to the public in disaster preparedness, disaster fire suppression, basic medical operations, and light search and rescue operations.  The CERT program is currently administered by the counties, and the training is free.  Schools may arrange for CERT training for their students, and some high schools within the State have already participated in the program.  Your Committee finds that increased participation in the CERT program by schools would benefit local communities and the State as a whole.

     Your Committee further finds that individuals with disabilities have participated in the CERT program in the past, and your Committee encourages the Department of Education to include students with disabilities in CERT training activities that take place at Department of Education schools.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 61 and recommends its adoption.

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

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CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair