STAND. COM. REP. NO. 122

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 955

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 955 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELAND SECURITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Subject the Office of Homeland Security to the direction and control of the Governor;

     (2)  Add the Hawaii State Fusion Center as a program under the Office of Homeland Security; and

     (3)  Establish the position of Hawaii State Fusion Center Director, who shall be responsible to the Director of Homeland Security and shall manage the day-to-day operations of the fusion center.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Department of Transportation, Office of Homeland Security, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Honolulu Police Department, and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Fusion Center, which is one of many fusion centers that have been established across the nation, has been a vital resource for the State, serving as a center for federal, state, and county agencies to coordinate their efforts in receiving and sharing important security information.  As security threats increase, it is essential that the State maintains the ability to coordinate the efficient and effective sharing of security information across all levels of government.  Accordingly, this measure establishes the Hawaii State Fusion Center within the Department of Defense Office of Homeland Security and establishes the position of Hawaii State Fusion Center Director to be appointed by the Director of Homeland Security.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the Governor has direct control and oversight over the Director of Homeland Security by removing the amendments made to section 128A-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

     (2)  Clarifying that the Hawaii State Fusion Center Director shall be paid through state funds; and

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

     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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 955, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 955, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair