STAND. COM. REP. NO. 401

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 724

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 724, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to prohibit the application of travel restrictions implemented during a state of emergency or local state of emergency to essential workers unless the application of those travel restrictions to essential workers has first been approved by the Governor.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Primary Care Association, Hawaii Medical Service Association, and Matson Navigation Company, Inc. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

Your Committee finds that ensuring that essential workers have the ability to travel without restriction to perform their jobs safely is critical to the State's ability to maintain the operation of critical infrastructure and community lifelines. Essential workers are required to be able to perform their jobs at any given notice and any type of travel restriction on essential workers would hinder their ability to provide necessary services to residents of the State. Your Committee recognizes the efforts of all the workers in the State, including the importance of workers in the wi-fi and television network connection and programming sectors as dependable and reliable communication during an emergency is critical.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Expanding the definition of "essential worker" to include workers in the wi-fi and television network connection and programming sectors; 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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 724, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 724, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair