STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2102-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.B. No. 2109

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2109, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COMMUNICATIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require and appropriate funds for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to develop and implement a statewide public education and communications program to promote household emergency preparedness consistent with the Agency's fourteen-day essential supplies recommendation;

(2) Require the Governor or mayor of a county to provide an American Sign Language interpreter during each official live broadcast during a state of emergency;

(3) Require the Governor or mayor of a county to ensure, to the fullest extent possible, that the American Sign Language interpreter's face, body, arms, and hands are visible during the broadcast;

(4) Require the Governor or mayor of a county to provide a primary pool feed that includes the American Sign Language interpreter in a picture-in-picture window; and

(5) Appropriate funds to the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to expand access to bilingual resources and services.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency; Hawaiʻi State Council on Developmental Disabilities; Disability and Communication Access Board; Aloha Independent Living Hawaii; Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy; Hawaii Disability Rights Center; Hawaii Food Industry Association; Roots Reborn; The Legal Clinic; Hawaiʻi Coalition for Immigrant Rights; and seven individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawaiʻi.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2109, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

CHRIS TODD, Chair