STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1353

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: S.B. No. 266

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. 266, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CORONAVIRUS 2019 PANDEMIC,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for COVID-19 response programs and activities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Department of Defense, Department of Public Safety, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation, and Hawai‘i Primary Care Association. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has devastated the world and crippled the State's economy. Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act on March 27, 2020, and American Rescue Plan Act on March 11, 2021, to help the State address the extensive health and economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. This measure will ensure COVID-19 response related programs maintain their funding so that the State may continue offering essential services to its residents.

Your Committee further finds that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the State implemented the very first post-arrival mandatory self-quarantine of all individuals entering the State. This was eventually expanded to allow certain individuals who could prove that they recently tested negative for COVID-19 to bypass the quarantine. This resulted in Hawaii having one of the lowest number of cases of COVID-19 in the nation; however, at the same time it caused Hawaii to have one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation. Your Committee believes that having a uniform law regarding mandatory self-quarantine will allow the State to welcome more people, thereby stimulating the economy and improving the quality of life for its citizens. House Bill No. 1286, H.D. 2, Regular Session of 2021, which passed out of the House, sought to achieve this goal by establishing the foundation for a uniform law and your Committee believes this discussion should be continued.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting the contents of House Bill No. 1286, H.D. 2, Regular Session of 2021;

(2) Requiring that should any project or program related to COVID-19 response efforts paid for by state funds later become eligible for federal reimbursement, those federal funds shall be deposited into the general fund;

(3) Lapsing funds from the Major Disaster Fund to the general fund on July 1, 2021; and

(4) 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. 266, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 266, 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