STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1903

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 21

H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 21, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU TO REMOVE THE OCEAN SAFETY AND LIFEGUARD SERVICES DIVISION FROM THE EMERGENCY SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND ESTABLISH IT AS A NEW, SEPARATE DEPARTMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the City and County of Honolulu to remove the Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division from the Emergency Services Department and establish it as a new, separate department.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Emergency Services Department of the City and County of Honolulu, Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation, and twenty-four individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO.

Your Committee finds that the Honolulu Emergency Services Department currently consists of the Honolulu Emergency Medical Services Division, Honolulu Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division, Health Services Branch, and Community Outreach Response and Engagement Branch. Your Committee further finds that the Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division employs two hundred thirty-five full-time lifeguards and thirty-seven contract lifeguards with an annual operating budget of $19,800,000 and is the primary responder for emergencies arising on the beach and in nearshore waters of the two hundred twenty-seven miles of coastline on the island of Oahu. Your Committee believes that these responsibilities and scope of duties warrant the Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division becoming a separate department within the City and County of Honolulu. This measure will help paramedics and lifeguards to advocate for what they truly need and improve public oversight of first responder budgets and processes.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 21, H.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

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GLENN WAKAI, Chair