STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3860

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 4

H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Government Operations, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 4, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE NORTHWEST WILDLAND FIRE PROTECTION AGREEMENT TO AMEND THE AGREEMENT TO ALLOW HAWAII TO JOIN AS A MEMBER,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the current members of the Northwest Wildland Fire Protection Agreement to amend the Agreement to allow Hawaii to join as a member.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, State Fire Council, and Honolulu Fire Department.

Your Committees find that in 1998, the United States Congress enacted the Northwest Wildland Fire Protection Agreement (Agreement) under Public Law 105—377, that provided a way for member states, provinces, and territories to cope with wildland fires that might be beyond the capabilities of a single member agency, through information, technology, and resource sharing activities. However, your Committees further find that membership is limited to certain geographical constraints and solely includes Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, the Yukon Territory, the Province of British Columbia, and the Province of Alberta, including any other state, province, or territory that is contiguous to any member. Your Committees conclude that despite the membership restrictions, the State has much to benefit from the Agreement to prevent a tragedy similar to the August 2023 Maui wildfires from reoccurring.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 4, H.D. 1, and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Government Operations,

________________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair