STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2751

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2888

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 2888 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATEWIDE INTEROPERABLE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a Statewide Interoperable Communications Executive Committee for public safety communications and the position of the Statewide Interoperable Communications Coordinator.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Defense, Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Transportation, Office of Homeland Security, and Office of Enterprise Technology Services. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Honolulu Police Department.

Your Committees find that the ability of first responders and emergency response agencies to effectively communicate with each other, particularly during emergency situations, is essential to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public. However, there are many components to creating and maintaining a successful interoperable communications system. These types of communications systems require well-defined leadership staffed with highly-qualified individuals. Your Committees further find that it is necessary to establish a cohesive and coordinated overarching plan, including policies and procedures, that the various agencies involved can follow. Your Committees note that a successful interoperable communications system requires adequate funding for the hiring of staff and purchasing of equipment that will enable coordination among agencies. This measure will create a safe environment for residents and visitors of the State during an emergency by establishing the Interoperable Communications Executive Committee to establish policies and procedures for first responders and emergency response agencies.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying the duties of the Statewide Interoperable Communications Executive Committee to develop plans and strategies to provide interoperable communications between and among public safety answering points in the State;

(2) Clarifying that the Statewide Interoperable Communications Executive Committee shall develop plans and strategies to promote statewide public safety communications interoperability using state and county radio communication systems, in addition to the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network;

(3) Replacing references to county emergency communications and dispatch centers with public safety answering points;

(4) Expanding the membership of the Statewide Interoperable Communications Technical Subcommittee to include any government agency whose duties include the operation of public safety communications systems, including land mobile radio;

(5) Requiring the leads of state or county radio communication engineers or managers and lead information security managers to serve on the Statewide Interoperable Communications Technical Subcommittee as subject matter experts;

(6) Clarifying that the Statewide Interoperable Communications Coordinator (Coordinator) shall meet, instead of communicate, regularly with all interoperability stakeholders and partners;

(7) Requiring the Coordinator to coordinate ongoing assessments of the applicability of new technical developments in communications technologies for state and county public safety radio communication systems and networks;

(8) Clarifying that the Coordinator shall coordinate interoperability activities with public safety answering points and federal communications systems, and deleting first responder network authorities;

(9) Requiring the Coordinator to manage communications unit training programs and exercises and work with public safety agencies to assist with credentialing or recognition of their communications personnel;

(10) Supplementing information in the purpose section; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2888, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2888, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Technology,

________________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair

________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair