STAND. COM. REP. NO. 691-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 1977

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Public Safety and Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.B. No. 1977, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FLOOD MITIGATION,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to develop a strategic regional flood plan that addresses flood mitigation, flood water retention, flood diversion, and catastrophic floods to become effective December 31, 2019, and to submit a report of its progress in developing the plan to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2019 Regular Session.

The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and a concerned individual supported this measure. The Department of Land and Natural Resources offered comments.

Your Committees note that both the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Land and Natural Resources noted the importance of a coordinating agency to effectuate the purpose of the measure and your Committees suggest that the coordinating agency be the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. Your Committees also respectfully request that in the course of effectuating this measure that the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency consider the Department of Land and Natural Resources' suggestion that the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency coordinate a working group. Your Committees also suggest that the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and the proposed working group consider previously published strategic plans and the coordination of these strategic plans to effectuate this measure.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency shall develop strategic regional flood plans, instead of being limited to one plan;

(2) Clarifying that the plans shall become effective on December 31, 2020, rather than on December 31, 2019; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety and Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1977, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Finance, in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1977, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety and Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts,

____________________________ MATTHEW S. LOPRESTI, Chair

____________________________ GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair