STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1999

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 993

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 993, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to improve and enhance the effectiveness of the State Emergency Management Program.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Clarifies the duties and responsibilities of the Director and Administrator of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency;

(2) Clarifies the duties of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency;

(3) Requires each county to coordinate, develop, and implement a comprehensive emergency management plan and submit annual reports to the Administrator;

(4) Renames the Emergency Reserve Corps to the Emergency Management Reserve Corps;

(5) Clarifies the Emergency Management Reserve Corps's leadership, duties, and responsibilities;

(6) Amends the Governor's expenditure ceiling for the Major Disaster Fund;

(7) Requires the Administrator, instead of the Department of Defense, to request that the Legislature make appropriations from the fund;

(8) Extends the date by which a report on allotments or expenditures from the fund shall be submitted;

(9) Requires the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, instead of the Department of Defense, to administer certain trust accounts; and

(10) Requires that unexpended moneys in the Major Disaster Fund in an amount less than $2,500,000 carry over to the next fiscal year.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Defense and Department of Transportation.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency has experienced numerous challenges over the last few years that have helped to highlight various statutory provisions that require updating in order to enhance and improve the State Emergency Management Program.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 993, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair