STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1108-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: S.B. No. 2788

S.D. 1

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. 2788, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DISASTER RELIEF,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide continued aid for disaster relief in response to the April 2018 flooding in the County of Kauai and in other areas of the State by extending by one year the lapse date of the appropriation made for this relief pursuant to Act 12, Session Laws of Hawaii 2018, as amended by Act 35, Session Laws of Hawaii 2019 (Act 12).

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Waioli Valley Taro Hui, and one individual.

Your Committee understands that the Department of Land and Natural Resources sustained substantial damage to its facilities in Kauai due to the heavy rains and flooding events in April 2018. The Department received funds pursuant to Act 12 for recovery response for several locations and facilities and is currently implementing those projects. Additional time is needed to complete these and other flood response projects. Your Committee supports these recovery efforts and finds that this measure will allow for work on not only Kauai, but also other areas of the State, including East Oahu, to continue to their completion.

Your Committee notes that the companion to this measure, H.B. No. 1794, H.D. 2 (Regular Session of 2020), is preferable because it will assure the same level of funding appropriated by Act 12 for flood response projects and mitigation efforts and will allow for the appropriations to be extended for an additional three years.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting the contents of H.B. No. 1794, H.D. 2, a measure that:

(1) Retains the appropriation amounts of $100,000,000 for the County of Kauai and $25,000,000 for other areas of the State;

(2) Authorizes an extension through June 30, 2023, rather than June 30, 2021; and

(3) Takes effect on June 29, 2020.

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. 2788, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2788, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair