STAND. COM. REP. NO.  66

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 1343

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Economic Development & Business, to which was referred H.B. No. 1343 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to improve economic recovery in Hawaii after a natural disaster by appropriating $328,000 to match federal funds to establish a business recovery center.

The Department of Defense, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, and The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii testified in support of this bill.

     A business recovery center is an online website where businesses and government agencies collaborate before, during, and after a natural disaster.  Some of the activities of a business recovery center include distributing federal disaster program information; establishing information channels to allow the private sector to access information including the status of utilities and roads; allowing the private sector to post information about operating hours during and after disasters; and acting as a portal to post requests for proposals so local businesses can bid on contracts during and after disasters.

Your Committee finds that the establishment of a business recovery center in Hawaii would help businesses, their employees, and the overall economy of Hawaii recover after a natural disaster.

     Your Committee notes that the appropriation of $328,000 contained in this measure for the establishment of a business recovery center within the Department of Defense is necessary to receive a federal match of $1,159,000 for this initiative.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development & Business that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1343 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Public Safety.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development & Business,

____________________________

DEREK S.K. KAWAKAMI, Chair