STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1243

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 353

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Public Safety, to which was referred S.B. No. 353, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Prohibit the Governor or a mayor from suspending agency response deadlines for certain public records or vital records or statistics during a state of emergency;

(2) Add a definition of the term "severe warning";

(3) Limit the authority of the Governor or a mayor to suspend laws during states of emergency; and

(4) Allow the Legislature and county councils to terminate, by an affirmative two-thirds vote, a state of emergency, in whole or in part, issued by the Governor or a mayor, respectively.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the League of Women Voters of Hawaii; Public First Law Center; Society of Professional Journalists - Hawaii Chapter; Grassroot Institute of Hawaii; Libertarian Party of Hawaii; and two individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency and Department of Human Services. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Information Practices.

Your Committee finds that this measure clarifies state and county emergency management authority, supports effective and adaptable emergency responses, and maintains accountability and checks and balances within the framework of the Hawaii State Constitution.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

(2) 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 Public Safety that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 353, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 353, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety,

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair