STAND. COM. REP. NO. 377-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1902

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1902, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Clarify that the Governor's and mayors' emergency management powers shall be consistent with the Hawaii State Constitution;

(2) Clarify the scope of the comprehensive emergency management plan;

(3) Clarify the powers of the Governor and mayors to extend or terminate a state of emergency or local state of emergency, respectively; and

(4) Shorten the duration of price control periods from ninety-six hours to seventy-two hours in a state of emergency or local state of emergency.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency; Department of Defense; Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS; Retail Merchants of Hawaii; Hawai‘i Restaurant Association; Hawaii Food Industry Association; General Contractors Association of Hawaii; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the State faces a wide variety of potentially catastrophic natural disasters, including hurricanes, wildfires, tsunamis, and earthquakes. Your Committee further finds that this measure will allow the State to address these issues in a comprehensive manner through clarifying the scope of the State's Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan to address not only how Hawaii responds to emergencies and disaster but also how it prepares for, mitigates against, and recovers from them.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1902, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair