STAND. COM. REP. NO. 267-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1587

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness, to which was referred H.B. No. 1587 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AN INTRASTATE MUTUAL AID SYSTEM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the intrastate mutual aid system to allow counties to share resources in times of emergency or in preparation for emergencies.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

Your Committee finds that certain emergencies transcend political jurisdictional boundaries and that intergovernmental coordination is essential for the protection of lives and property. Emergencies are unpredictable and require state and county governments to work together to ensure the safety of the State's citizens. This measure does so by establishing a framework to allow for the provision of intrastate mutual aid during an emergency in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, instead of the Intrastate Mutual Aid Committee, develops guidelines and procedures when a responding member county designates in writing all assistance it provides to a requesting member county;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) 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 Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1587, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1587, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness,

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair