STAND. COM. REP. NO. 962

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 954

       H.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 H.B. No. 954, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EXEMPTIONS FROM JURY DUTY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to exempt active members of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and county emergency management agencies from jury duty.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency; Department of Emergency Management, City and County of Honolulu; The Maritime Group, LLC; and seven individuals.

     Your Committee finds that having emergency personnel available to respond swiftly and effectively to emergency situations is essential for protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public.  Therefore, it is important that active members of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and county emergency management agencies are able to properly and effectively serve in their roles.  However, under existing law, the ability of active members of emergency management agencies to properly fulfill their duties may be hindered because these members are not exempt from jury duty.  Accordingly, this measure creates an exemption for active members of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and county emergency management agencies from jury duty so that these emergency personnel will be free to respond to emergency situations appropriately.

     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 H.B. No. 954, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

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

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair