STAND. COM. REP. NO. 39-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2318

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2318 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase hurricane preparedness in Hawaii by allocating a portion of the monies earned through interest from the Hurricane Reserve Trust Fund to provide grants under a safe home program, which would assist financially qualified home owners with the installation of approved wind resistive devices for hurricane preparedness of their homes.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, and Hawaii Insurers Council.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii is susceptible to property loss due to hurricanes, tropical storms, and strong winds. Establishing a safe home program to provide grants to certain property owners for the installation of wind resistive devices will lessen the severity of property loss from hurricanes, tropical storms, or strong winds.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2025, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2318, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2318, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,

____________________________

TOM BROWER, Chair