STAND. COM. REP. NO.  831-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2018

RE:   H.B. No. 2693

      H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2693, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to clarify the obligations of, and civil protections for, private property owners and places of public accommodation during a disaster by:

     (1)  Prohibiting the denial of emergency shelter by places of public accommodation;

     (2)  Clarifying that places of public accommodation and their agents and employees are protected from liability when providing emergency shelter; and

     (3)  Clarifying that any facility that is receiving compensation from a person sheltered there and owners of properties made available for shelter use may be exempted from civil liability for providing emergency access to land, shelter, and subsistence during a disaster.

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 Retail Merchants of Hawaii, Maui Chamber of Commerce, and Hawaii Association for Justice provided comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2693, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair