STAND. COM. REP. NO. 550

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 762

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 762 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STATE CAPITOL FACILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) to develop and implement an enhanced security plan for the Hawaii State Capitol and surrounding grounds;

(2) Require DAGS to submit annual reports of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature regarding its progress on short-term and long-term steps toward implementing the enhanced security plan, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2022; and

(3) Amend provisions regarding the internal governance of the State Capitol Management Committee.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services, Department of Public Safety, and Common Cause Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that currently there are no meaningful security measures in place to restrict dangerous crowds, weapons, explosives, or vehicular access at the Hawaii State Capitol. This measure will ensure reasonable preventative short-term and long-term measures to protect public safety while also preserving public access at the Hawaii State Capitol, rather than waiting for a tragic incident and loss of life to occur before action is taken. Your Committee recognizes that the Hawaii State Capitol building not only is listed in the national and Hawaii register of historic places but is also a central feature of the designated Hawaii Capitol Historic District.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Including the State Historic Preservation Officer or their designee among the members of the State Capitol Management Committee, to ensure that the preservation of the historic character of the Hawaii State Capitol is fully considered during the planning for the security upgrades at the Hawaii State Capitol building; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 762, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 762, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Government Operations,

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SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair