STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2768

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 Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3109, S.D. 1, 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 promote efficient statewide emergency management.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Establishes 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, and clarifies the position's reporting structure and duties; and

(2) Requires 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 written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Defense and Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency is administratively attached to the Department of Defense and is currently led by an Administrator of Emergency Management. Your Committee further finds that the increasing frequency and complexity of both natural and human-caused disasters in Hawaii require a leadership structure with clearer operational authority and a more defined chain of command within the Department of Defense.

Your Committee believes that the organizational changes made by this measure will help support more seamless response efforts and better coordination between state, county, and federal partners.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3109, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair