STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1024-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: S.B. No. 2406

S.D. 2

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 Public Safety, Veterans, & Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2406, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EXPLOSION DETECTION TECHNOLOGY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require police departments in counties with a population of less than five hundred thousand to purchase and deploy explosion detection technology for their departments' use, and appropriate funds to each of those counties as a grant-in-aid for this purpose.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the County of Kauai Police Department.

Your Committee finds that illegal gunfire and illegal fireworks jeopardize the ability of the people of the State to live in peace and security. However, your Committee also finds that explosion detection technology, while apparently used in ninety cities to assist in detecting the location of gunfire, is not a proven technology in the State and may be of questionable efficacy in large, rural areas.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring a police department for a county having a population of more than five hundred thousand to create a working group to study the feasibility of purchasing and deploying explosion detection technology for the purpose of assisting in locating and responding to explosions caused by the illegal use of firearms and fireworks, rather than requiring counties with a population of less than five hundred thousand to purchase and deploy explosion detection technology;

(2) Requiring the members of the working group to include the Attorney General and the Chief of Police and Prosecuting Attorney of the specified county;

(3) Requiring that the working group submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the Regular Session of 2021;

(4) Removing the appropriation for the purchase of explosion detection technology; and

(5) 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 Public Safety, Veterans, & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2406, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2406, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Veterans, & Military Affairs,

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair