STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1155

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 609

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 609, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to enhance the security and resiliency of the State's critical infrastructure.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Creates a Homeland Security Resiliency Council to identify electric grid and other critical infrastructure needs;

(2) Requires the Council to provide recommendations to enhance the grid and critical infrastructure resiliency of the State; and

(3) Appropriates funds to support the Council.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Board of Water Supply; Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; and Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Office of Planning; Office of Information Practices; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that the importance of infrastructure resilience continues to grow as the frequency and intensity of natural disasters facing the State rises due to the impacts of climate change.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the Homeland Security and Resiliency Council shall take appropriate measures to protect from public release any information that may be withheld from the public under the Uniform Information Practices Act, including information that, if released, could reasonably be expected to cause damage to public security;

(2) Clarifying that the administrative head of each county's:

(A) Emergency management agency;

(B) Water supply department or board; and

(C) Agency with responsibility over environmental services or environmental management,

shall serve on the Council; and

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 609, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 609, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair