STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3802

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2339

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Ways and Means and Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 2339, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO 911 SERVICES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the State's laws relating to 911 services.

More specifically, the measure:

(1) Repeals the word "enhanced" from statutory references to enhanced 911 services, including the title of the State of Hawaii Enhanced 911 Board, to authorize the State to fund all 911 technologies; and

(2) Authorizes the State of Hawaii 911 Board to employ staff, in addition to the executive director, who are exempt from chapters 76 and 89, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

Your Committees received written comments in support of this measure from the Public Utilities Commission, Hawaii Office of Enterprise Technology Services, State of Hawaii Enhanced 911 Board, and Maui Police Department.

Your Committees find that the phrase "enhanced 911 services" refers to a specific, now antiquated, technology. Repealing the word "enhanced" will facilitate improvements to 911 communications and provide residents with faster access to emergency services by allowing the State to utilize modern emergency communication technologies. Your Committees further find that exempting Board employees from the State's civil service and collective bargaining laws will allow the Board to recruit and retain qualified persons to maintain its operations.

Your Committees have amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2024.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Ways and Means and Commerce and Consumer Protection that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2339, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2339, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Ways and Means and Commerce and Consumer Protection,

________________________________ JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair