STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1728

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1059

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1059, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to assist with filling critical position vacancies at the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency by exempting from civil service emergency management specialist series positions at levels V and higher.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association and one individual.

Your Committee finds that more than half of the civil service positions at the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency are currently vacant. Your Committee further finds that changing to exempt status the classification of certain civil service positions that require special skill and experience will help the agency hire qualified candidates who may quickly integrate into work at the agency.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting a sunset date of July 1, 2027, at which date emergency management specialist series positions at levels V and higher will become civil service positions.

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 H.B. No. 1059, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1059, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair