STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3347

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2885

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2885, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to designate a source of funding for hazard mitigation expenses in the State.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Establishes the hazard mitigation special fund;

(2) Dedicates into that fund any moneys that may be recovered or reimbursed for the costs and expenses of hazard mitigation;

(3) Restricts expenditure of moneys in the fund to expenses related to the mitigation of hazards; and

(4) Appropriates moneys into the fund.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Defense, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, and Hawaii State Energy Office.

Your Committee finds that providing a source of funding to support the administration of the State's hazardous mitigation projects, including trimming or removing potentially hazardous trees or branches, stabilizing or removing unstable soil and rock hazards, and cleaning waterways to prevent or mitigate overflowing and flooding, will help to protect public health and safety.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the requirements of section 127A-18(e), Hawaii Revised Statutes, do not apply to the establishment of, and restrictions on the use of moneys in, the hazard mitigation special fund;

(2) Changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(4) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2885, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2885, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair