STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2371

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3109

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3109 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Administrator of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency as the Deputy Director of Emergency Management within the Department of Defense, under the direction of the Adjutant General;

(2) Clarify the Deputy Director of Emergency Management's reporting structure and duties; and

(3) Require the Commission on Salaries, pursuant to section 26-56, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to include the Deputy Director of Emergency Management in its recommendations for executive branch salary levels.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Defense and Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

Your Committee finds that the State faces increasing threats from natural disasters, such as hurricanes, wildfires, and flooding, and from other human-caused disasters. Preventing these disasters and ensuring the safety and resilience of the State requires stronger preparedness and more efficient organizational structures. This measure establishes a clearly defined leadership role for statewide emergency management. In doing so, it aligns organizational structures to support seamless response and coordination among federal, state, and county partners during disasters and emergencies.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3109, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3109, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs,

________________________________

CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair