STAND. COM. REP. NO. 486

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1302

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1302 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO NATURAL DISASTERS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for disaster relief, recovery, mitigation, and remediation activities for the County of Hawai‘i.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Governor; Hawaii Emergency Management Agency; Department of Agriculture; three members of the Hawai‘i County Council; County of Hawai‘i Department of Research and Development; Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.; Kapoho Land Partnership; Hawaiian Community Assets; Kohala Coast Resort Association; Hawaii Habitat for Humanity Association; Habitat for Humanity Hawai‘i Island; O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; HOPE Services Hawai‘i; and ten individuals.

Your Committees find that state assistance is needed for relief, recovery, mitigation, and remediation from the presidentially-declared Kilauea eruption major disaster in the County of Hawai‘i. The scale of the relief, recovery, mitigation, and remediation exceeds the County of Hawai‘i's capacity. Even with federal disaster assistance, the County of Hawai‘i will need assistance to provide the local match to federal funding and to address recovery, mitigation, and remediation needs beyond what federal programs cover.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1302 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________ STANLEY CHANG, Chair

________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair