THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

111

THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY AND IDENTIFY APPROPRIATE STOCKPILE STORAGE FACILITY OPTIONS TO STORE AND DISTRIBUTE EMERGENCY SUPPLIES IN THE STATE OF HAWAII.

 

 


     WHEREAS, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has ravaged the State's available inventories of personal protection equipment and other medical products and supplies; and

 

     WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has identified a critical gap in the State's ability to mitigate impacts on its vulnerable supply chain; and

 

     WHEREAS, there is a pressing need for the State to accumulate reserves of critical supplies to provide to the counties and communities during an emergency and within a reasonable time of the State's decision to deploy the stockpiled reserves; and

 

     WHEREAS, an appropriate stockpile storage facility is necessary to prepare for future natural disasters and pandemics to supplement and resupply state and local inventories of essential supplies during emergencies that may be severe enough to exhaust local supplies; and

 

     WHEREAS, a single stockpile storage facility in a central location may be inefficient due to limited air and sea delivery assets during a natural disaster or pandemic causing delays which may hinder the distribution of emergency supplies to all four counties in Hawaii; and

 

     WHEREAS, the creation of a task force to identify appropriate stockpile storage facility options would present possible solutions as to whether it is more appropriate to have a single storage facility on the island of Oahu or whether it may be more prudent to utilize multiple storage facilities spread throughout the four counties in the State to effectively and efficiently distribute emergency supplies; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2021, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, in coordination with the Department of Defense, Department of Health, and Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, is requested to convene a task force to study whether the State would benefit from stockpiling emergency supplies in a single facility or in multiple storage facilities located in each of the four counties; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall consist of fourteen members designated as follows:

 

     (1)  The Director of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, or the Director's designee, who shall serve as Chairperson;

 

     (2)  One representative from the Governor's office, appointed by the Governor;

 

     (3)  One representative from the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate;

 

     (4)  One representative from the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

 

     (5)  A representative from the Department of Defense;

 

     (6)  The Executive Director from the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, or the Executive Director's designee;

 

     (7)  Two representatives from the Hawaii County, appointed by the Mayor of Hawaii County;

 

     (8)  Two representatives from the City and County of Honolulu, appointed by the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu;

 

     (9)  Two representatives from the County of Kauai, appointed by the Mayor of Kauai County; and

 

    (10)  Two representatives from the County of Maui, appointed by the Mayor of Maui County; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all members of the task force be appointed no later than thirty days after the last day of the Regular Session of 2021, and that the task force convene its initial meeting on or before July 1, 2021; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than January 31, 2022; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force include in its report appropriate locations for the construction of a state stockpile storage facility or facilities in which to stockpile emergency supplies necessary for responding to natural disasters and pandemics and the location or locations identified shall be:

 

     (1)  On state land;

 

     (2)  Reasonably secured or easily capable of being reasonably secured;

 

     (3)  Outside of the inundation zone;

 

     (4)  Within a one-mile radius of an airfield; and

 

     (5)  Near state, county, and federal first responder agencies; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall dissolve on July 1, 2022; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Director of Health, Executive Director of Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, Mayor of Hawaii County, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, Mayor of Kauai County, and Mayor of Maui County.

Report Title: 

Establish Task Force; Stockpile Storage Facility; Emergency Supplies