STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1884

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 37

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Health and Human Services, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 37 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY TO COLLABORATE WITH RELEVANT AGENCIES TO DEVELOP INITIATIVES AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO INFORM KUPUNA ABOUT EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to collaborate with relevant agencies to develop initiatives and outreach programs to inform kupuna about emergency preparedness.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency, AARP Hawaii, AlohaCare, Hawaiʻi Family Caregiver Coalition, Hui O Hauʻula, Pearl City Neighborhood Board No. 21, and four individuals.

Your Committees find that kupuna, or senior citizens, are a particularly vulnerable population in the event of a disaster. Many kupuna do not know how to tell if they must evacuate or if they are better off sheltering in place, and some do not have familiarity with or access to technology to notify them about what to do in a disaster. Accordingly, this measure requests the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to work together with appropriate county level agencies to create outreach programs to educate elderly community members on disaster preparedness to enhance the safety and welfare of kupuna and their caregivers during an emergency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 37, and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Health and Human Services,

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair

________________________________ BRANDON J.C. ELEFANTE, Chair