STAND. COM. REP. NO. 189-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2429

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water & Land and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 2429 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY PUBLIC ASSISTANCE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Department of Human Services to provide temporary emergency public assistance and recovery services beyond an emergency declaration, subject to available funds, and to establish an emergency management program within the Department.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services and one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the State Procurement Office.

Your Committees find that in recent years, the Department of Human Services has responded to a series of emergencies, including the Maui wildfires, coronavirus pandemic, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, and floods, and the need for many of its emergency management activities and public assistance continues even after Governor-declared states of emergency have ended. Given the recent and anticipated needs for the Department's emergency responses, your Committees find that the Department requires a dedicated emergency management program and staff to lead recovery support for social services, improve the Department's expanded roles and responsibilities in mass care and sheltering, and collaborate with other public agencies in emergency planning and long-term recovery efforts.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the procurement exemption applies until June 30, 2029;

(2) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount;

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committees respectfully request your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $100,000 for fiscal year 2024-2025.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water & Land and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2429, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2429, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water & Land and Human Services,

____________________________ LISA MARTEN, Chair

____________________________ LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair