STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2204

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2903

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 Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2903 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WILDFIRE-AFFECTED AREAS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit public entry into wildfire-affected areas for the purpose of habitation until the Department of Health provides notice that the wildfire-affected area is safe to enter for this purpose.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from one member of the Maui County Council.

Your Committees find that when a fire consumes a community, it can aerosolize materials such as lead, arsenic, asbestos, and other dangerous chemicals that can contaminate both air and water for months and potentially years. Your Committees further find that after the 2023 Maui wildfires, state health officials issued warnings about water contamination and have estimated that restoring clean water to affected areas of Maui could take years. This measure will ensure the health and safety of communities by protecting them from dangerous safety hazards caused by wildfires.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2903 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Health and Human Services,

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair