STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3014

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2886

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2886 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to convert the status of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency's public information officer, civil defense administrative officer, branch chiefs, and emergency operations center state warning point personnel from civil service to exempt from civil service.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Hawaii State Energy Office, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that exempting these key emergency management positions from civil service will: promote a more responsive, flexible, and aggressive hiring system that expedites the filling of vacancies; improve competitive recruiting and retention of qualified individuals; and reduce the State's risk in having critical positions vacant for extended periods.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

(2) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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. 2886, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2886, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair