STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1356

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: S.B. No. 1117

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness, to which was referred S.B. No. 1117, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION TO THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR RELATING TO COVID-19 EXPENDITURES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make an emergency appropriation for the Office of the Governor to continue funding for various COVID-19 response related programs and activities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Hawai‘i Primary Care Association.

Your Committee finds that the United States Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act on March 27, 2020, and American Rescue Plan Act on March 11, 2021, to provide economic relief to citizens and states. This measure is necessary to continue to provide funding necessary for COVID-19 related response programs to ensure the health and welfare of residents and visitors of the State.

Your Committee notes that there may be a conflict with the title of this measure as passed out of the Senate specifically with the language that makes an appropriation for fiscal year 2021-2022 to the Department of the Attorney General and respectfully requests that should your Committee on Finance hear this measure, that they address this potential conflict.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring that should any project or program paid for by State funds become eligible for federal reimbursement, those federal funds shall be deposited into the general fund; and

(2) 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 S.B. No. 1117, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1117, S.D. 2, 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