STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3406

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2119

H.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2119, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE COMPACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Create a new Emergency Management Assistance Compact; and

(2) Repeal the existing Emergency Management Assistance Compact.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency and Hawaii State Energy Office. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Association for Justice.

Your Committee finds that, through the authority of the Governor, the Emergency Management Assistance Compact is implemented by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, which is governed by chapter 127A, Hawaii Revised Statutes. Your Committee believes that moving the Emergency Management Assistance Compact terms and provisions into the emergency management series of Hawaii Revised Statutes chapters will provide concise, logical organization to the emergency management laws of Hawaii. This measure will align the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency with the best emergency management practices across the country by repealing chapter 128F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and creating a new, appropriately designated chapter in the 127A series of the Hawaii Revised Statutes chapters to reincorporate the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.

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 H.B. No. 2119, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair