STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3084

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2515

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2515, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify the types of events that constitute disasters and emergencies for the purposes of emergency management.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency.

Your Committee finds that currently the Governor has broad powers to define what constitutes an emergency. Your Committee further finds that governing via executive order has the effect of denying the public a voice on important issues, forcing the people to rely on the courts for redress. By creating a clear definition of the events that constitute an "emergency" or "disaster" in statute, this measure will limit the potential for executive overreach via emergency orders.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2042, to encourage further discussion.

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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2515, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2515, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair