STAND. COM. REP. NO. 584-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 2333

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2333, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELAND SECURITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish:

(1) The Hawaii State Fusion Center (Center) as a program under the State Office of Homeland Security; and

(2) The state-funded position of the Hawaii State Fusion Center Director, who shall be responsible to the Director of Homeland Security and manage the operations of the Center.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Department of Human Services, Department of Defense, Department of Transportation, Hawaii State Energy Office, Department of Emergency Management of the City and County of Honolulu, Board of Water Supply, and Retail Merchants of Hawaii. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that this measure will codify, and thereby solidify, the Center within the State Office of Homeland Security. Your Committee further finds that the Center allows for information sharing to ensure its partners are equipped with the tools needed to keep Hawaii and the nation safe, secure, and resilient. According to the state Department of Defense, fusion centers empower front-line law-enforcement and public-safety personnel, firefighters, emergency responders, public health workers, critical infrastructure protection personnel, and private-sector security personnel to understand the implications of intelligence to the State. Your Committee also finds that the functions of the Center are critical to the State's protection against crime, terrorism, and other incidents.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2333, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2333, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair