STAND. COM. REP. NO. 124

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 825

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. 825 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to specify that the Governor has authority to assume control, use, or operate any state facility at no cost or requirement of compensation during a state of emergency.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that addressing the coronavirus pandemic remains a top priority for the State as it continues to negatively affect everyone worldwide. The State's response to the pandemic must be effective and efficient to ensure the health and safety of residents. The ability to scale up operations, such as processing unemployment insurance applications, in a short time is of vital importance. In addition, the ability of the State to freely use available state resources is imperative to ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of its residents and visitors. Your Committee believes that the State needs to be able to utilize all of its resources in order to effectively respond to the pandemic without further burden on taxpayers.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; 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 Pandemic & Disaster Preparedness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 825, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 825, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

LINDA ICHIYAMA, Chair