STAND. COM. REP. NO. 578

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1109

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1109, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE DISASTER RECOVERY PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a State Disaster Recovery Program overseen by the State Disaster Recovery Coordinator.

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

Your Committee finds that disaster recovery operations, which begin shortly after a disaster occurs, are complex, time-consuming, and involve many individuals and agencies undertaking a wide range of actions. Disaster recovery requires both short—term restoration of necessary community functions and long-term planning and coordination. Your Committee recognizes that federal, state, and county agencies, as well as private organizations, contribute in these efforts to ensure public health and safety. Accordingly, your Committee believes that it is vital to align the response, recovery, and mitigation activities of all parties, and to enhance the capacity of these parties to coordinate their efforts and efficiently recover from disasters.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Replacing an incorrect reference to "federal disaster recovery" with a reference to "state disaster recovery";

(2) Specifying that the Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator is from the Federal Emergency Management Agency;

(3) Specifying that the State Disaster Recovery Coordinator's report to the Legislature is due no later than twenty days prior to each applicable Regular Session;

(4) Specifying that state and county agencies having recovery responsibilities shall maintain and update applicable recovery plans;

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

(6) 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. 1109, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1109, S.D. 2.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair