STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2623

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3000

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3000 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY WORKERS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to include telecommunications dispatcher and related personnel engaged in emergency dispatching services in the definition of "emergency worker" for purposes of the penal code.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Homeland Security, Maui Police Department, Hawaii Government Employees Association, American Medical Response, Stolen Stuff Hawaii, and two hundred thirty-nine individuals.

Your Committee finds that telecommunications dispatchers play a vital role in the partnership with their in-the-field first responder colleagues, including police, firefighters, emergency medical services, and other public safety personnel. Your Committee further finds that these telecommunications dispatchers often face situations where an individual is injured or in great amount of distress, harm, or fear. Each telecommunications dispatcher must fulfill skills learned during extensive training to calm a situation with a distressed individual, all while collecting necessary information to relay to first responders. Your Committee finds that telecommunications dispatchers are currently classified as an office and administrative support occupation, thereby prohibiting any telecommunications dispatcher from being hired at a level of pay and benefits commensurate with their level of training and expertise. This measure will recognize the importance of telecommunications dispatchers by considering the dispatchers as emergency workers.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3000 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

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CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair