STAND. COM. REP. NO. 93

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 539

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness, to which was referred H.B. No. 539 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THREAT ASSESSMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish a program within the Hawaii State Fusion Center to train, establish, and operate threat assessment teams.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education and Hawaii Association of School Psychologists. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Information Practices.

Your Committee finds that having a team of individuals who can provide threat assessments for state agencies can help identify, assess, and manage potential threats before they occur. Creating a team of professionals from diverse sectors trained in threat assessment will encourage different information and perspectives that can help find solutions to manage threats. Your Committee believes that having a program that allows the State to take preemptive measures against threats can improve the State's ability to protect its residents and visitors.

Your Committee notes the testimony of the Office of Information Practices that the current placement of language regarding the exemption of certain personal records from disclosure may be better placed with the statute dealing with the specific records or programs that are being protected.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Placing the language regarding an exemption from disclosure of records held by a government agency's threat assessment team or the Hawaii State Fusion Center in the newly created statute establishing the threat assessment teams, rather than in the Uniform Information Practices Act;

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) 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 Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 539, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 539, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Higher Education & Technology.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness,

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair