STAND. COM. REP. NO. 691

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1064

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1064, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Effectuate the recommendations of the "Phase 3" Forward-Looking Report by Fire Safety Research Institute on the August 2023 Maui wildfires and further clarify the role of the State Fire Marshal; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the operations of the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Defense; Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Hawaiʻi Climate Advisory Team; Hawaii Insurers Council; Hawaiian Electric; Lāhainā Strong; Kamehameha Schools; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land Natural Resources and Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization.

Your Committee finds that recent devastating wildfires in Hawaii, like those experienced in Maui, clearly demonstrate that wildfires are an escalating threat to the State. This measure would clarify the role of the State Fire Marshal and facilitate unity of effort with the State Fire Council, thereby increasing the readiness and resilience of the State against fire-related disasters.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have established the Office of the State Fire Marshal in the Department of Defense and instead temporarily establishing the Office in the Office of the Governor;

(2) Deleting language that would have required the State Fire Council to appoint the State Fire Marshal and instead requiring the Governor to appoint the State Fire Marshal from a list of three names submitted by the State Fire Council;

(3) Requiring the Office of the State Fire Marshal to oversee the development and maintenance of a comprehensive statewide wildfire hazard map;

(4) Specifying how often the county fire chiefs must:

(A) Make compilations and statistical investigations of all fires occurring in their respective counties; and

(B) Supervise and make or cause to be made thorough inspection records of all property that might constitute a fire hazard within their respective county;

(5) Requiring the county fire chiefs to transmit to the State Fire Marshal the records and statistical investigations of all fires occurring in their respective counties and inspection records of property that might constitute a fire hazard within their respective county;

(6) Requiring the State Fire Marshal, instead of the county fire chiefs, to inspect all state facilities at least once a year;

(7) Deleting language that would have transferred the State Fire Council from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to the Department of Defense;

(8) Making the State Fire Marshal a member of the State Fire Council; and

(9) 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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1064, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1064, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair