STAND. COM. REP. NO. 84

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1379

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 Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1379 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Community Readiness Centers Program to be implemented and administered by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency;

(2) Establish the Community Readiness Centers Special Fund to fund the Community Readiness Centers Program; and

(3) Rename the Environmental Response, Energy, and Food Security Tax to the Environmental Response, Energy, Food Security, and Resilience Tax and direct a portion of the tax into the Community Readiness Centers Special Fund.

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

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Taxation and Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that in an era marked by increasing natural disasters, it is critical that the State create centralized locations where communities can access essential support, health and medical services, and education during and after emergencies. Community Readiness Centers will serve as vital lifelines, offering immediate assistance to those affected while also empowering residents with the knowledge and resources needed to prepare for future emergencies.

Your Committee further finds that Community Readiness Centers will strengthen collaboration among local agencies, businesses, and organizations, as well as streamline response efforts and maximize available resources. This collective approach will reinforce the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency's response framework and enable the Agency to act quickly when and where it matters most.

Your Committee finds that pursuant to the testimony given by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and the discussion held between your Committee and the Agency at the public hearing held on this measure, additional information from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency is required in the form of a report to be submitted to the Legislature.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding language that requires the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to submit a report to the Legislature, no later than twenty days prior to the 2026 legislative session, containing information relating to:

(A) The timeline for identifying community readiness centers, both public and private;

(B) The use of funding sources;

(C) Any partnerships with federal and county agencies and community groups;

(D) Any collaboration and communication with stakeholders;

(E) The annual projected amount of funding based on sources of revenue; and

(F) Any other relevant information about the Community Readiness Centers Program.

(2) Inserting a blank dollar amount for the portion of the tax to be deposited into the Community Readiness Centers Special Fund;

(3) Inserting a blank percentage amount for the percentage of the tax to be deposited into the Community Readiness Centers Special Fund;

(4) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2077, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee notes that this measure, as amended, contains an unspecified dollar amount and an unspecified percentage amount. Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider inserting a dollar amount of $0.05 and a percentage amount of 11.4 percent for the portion of tax to be deposited into the Community Readiness Centers Special Fund.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1379, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1379, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs,

________________________________

BRANDON J.C. ELEFANTE, Chair