STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3787

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 28

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Government Operations and Ways and Means, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 28, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE STATE CAPITOL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE STATE CAPITOL,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the State Capitol Management Committee to consider security improvements for the State Capitol.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Public Safety and O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Ho‘omanapono Political Action Committee. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services and one individual.

Your Committees find that ensuring protection for lawmakers and members of the public while at the State Capitol is critical in maintaining a strong relationship between the public and its elected officials. Your Committees also find that some elements of security at the Capitol are lacking and could benefit from improvements. Specifically, the Capitol building does not include metal detectors or controlled access points to deter weapons and other contraband, nor does the Capitol building include adequate security measures to prevent unauthorized vehicles from entering the Capitol grounds or the rotunda. Accordingly, your Committees find that there is a need to improve security at the State Capitol building to better ensure public safety for lawmakers, staff, and the visiting public.

However, your Committees recognize that the State Capitol building is unique in its commitment to openness and accessibility to the people of Hawaii and visitors from around the world. Accordingly, your Committees want to ensure that any additional, necessary security measures do not take away from the Capitol's unique character or unnecessarily diminish the public's ability to access the building and the lawmakers therein.

In addition, your Committees are concerned about the State continuing to invest resources in Capitol security without a clear plan for how those resources will be used. Your Committees note that in the past significant funds have been spent on security measures that have proven inadequate or in some cases gone unused. Therefore, your Committees find that it is necessary for the State Capitol Management Committee to work with other appropriate agencies and departments to develop a comprehensive security plan for the State Capitol along with a budget detailing the funds necessary for implementing and maintaining the comprehensive plan.

Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Removing all references to barriers and fencing;

(2) Removing unnecessary language relating to visitors to the State Capitol;

(3) Removing all references to the United States Department of Homeland Security and Secretary of Homeland Security;

(4) Clarifying the security improvements to be considered by the State Capitol Management Committee and specifying that the improvements considered should not diminish the Capitol building's unique and valued tradition of being open, welcoming, and accessible to the people of Hawaii and visitors from around the world;

(5) Requesting that the State Capitol Management Committee include in its report to the Legislature a comprehensive security plan for the State Capitol and a budget detailing funds necessary for implementing and maintaining the proposed security plan; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Government Operations and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 28, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 28, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations and Ways and Means,

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

________________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair