STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2782

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2284

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2284, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO A WILDFIRE FORECAST SYSTEM FOR HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require and appropriate moneys for the University of Hawaii to establish and implement a two-year program to develop a wildfire forecast system for the State using artificial intelligence.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii.

Your Committee believes that forecasting wildfires can help reduce the overall impacts of wildfires through rapid response and suppression efforts. Your Committee finds that the system proposed by the measure has the potential to assist authorities in forecasting wildfires across the State, which will enhance public safety and the State's ability to prepare for potential disasters.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

(2) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2284, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2284, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair