STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3231

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 52

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 52 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE STATE TO INCLUDE IN ITS LIST OF FIRST RESPONDERS A NETWORK OF ORGANIZATIONS CONTRACTED TO IMMEDIATELY PROVIDE FOOD, BEVERAGES, AND ICE TO CITIZENS DURING A NATURAL DISASTER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Request the State to include in its list of first responders a network of organizations contracted to immediately provide food, beverages, and ice to residents during a natural disaster;

(2) Request the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to develop a list of organizations willing to contract with the State to immediately provide food, beverages, and ice to residents during a natural disaster; and

(3) Request the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to submit the list of organizations with the Agency's findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2019.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i.

Your Committee finds that in the event of a natural disaster, Hawaii's residents need a recommended fourteen days' worth of adequate food, water, medication, and other necessities. Your Committee also finds that because Hawaii is an island state located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the occurrence of a major natural disaster may make an adequate supply of food and other necessary supplies inaccessible. Your Committee further finds that it is in the best interest of the State to proactively prepare for natural disasters, including by securing a strong network of relief supply organizations to ensure that impacted residents have access to food, water, and supplies. Accordingly, this measure requests the State and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to develop a network of organizations that can be contracted to immediately provide food, beverages, and ice to residents during a natural disaster.

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 52 and recommends that it 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,

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CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair