HB 1252: RELATING TO THE STATE CAPITOL.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to the state capitol.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the controversial nature of the work of public officials can lend itself to threats, and at times, acts of violence.  Despite these truths, the state of Hawaii lacks appropriate security measures in the capitol’s rotunda and surrounding areas in case such events occur.  Such lacking security measures include the restriction of unauthorized vehicular access to the underground public parking facility to prevent tragic incidents such as the 1995 truck bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

     The legislature also finds that in February 2019, a fatal shooting of an intoxicated individual near the Hawaii state capitol rotunda posed a serious threat to the building and public safety, necessitating increased security personnel and barriers to further prevent unauthorized access.  In January 2024, the Hawaii state capitol, in addition to nearly two dozen other state capitols across the nation, were faced with a potential bomb threat, further highlighting the potential for serious security breaches.

     The legislature finds that while the Hawaii state capitol’s architecture was designed with the intent of openness and ease of public access, it must be moderated with said security measures to protect public safety while keeping our democratic system operating in the safest possible manner.  Further, legislators, employees, and other staff should not be exempt from entrance security requirements.  The Violence Project reports that seventy per cent of workplace related mass shooters are motivated by an employment issue.  Therefore, effective security requires consistency without exceptions.

     The purpose of this Act is to build upon the security measures that have been recently implemented at the Hawaii state capitol, such as metal detectors, to ensure the building is a place where the public and public officials feel safe from violence.

     SECTION 2.  (a)  The department of accounting and general services and the department of public safety, in consultation with the legislature and any other applicable entity, shall promptly plan and implement security improvements at the state capitol, which shall include, at a minimum, the following:

     (1)  Controlled access points, which all individuals entering the building including legislators, employees, and guests shall be subject to, on the rotunda and chamber levels featuring appropriate equipment, including x-ray machines, to detect weapons and other contraband;

     (2)  Fencing or other appropriate barriers to prevent:

          (A)  Unauthorized vehicles from entering the capitol grounds; and

          (B)  Unauthorized access to the capitol rotunda; and

     (3)  The employment of private personnel to staff controlled access points to screen for weapons and contraband, effectuate the security improvements, and perform these duties in coordination with the law enforcement personnel of the State and county.

     (b)  The department of land and natural resources state historic preservation division shall promptly evaluate the potential necessity of any exemptions from applicable historic preservation designations or related restrictions to accomplish the security improvements.  The state historic preservation division shall assist the department of accounting and general services to expedite and facilitate the application and approval, as appropriate, for any necessary exemptions from state or federal historic preservation laws.

     (c)  The department of accounting and general services and department of public safety may implement additional security improvements while the security improvements mandated by this Act are being planned and developed.

     (d)  No later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2026 and 2027 regular sessions, the department of accounting and general services shall provide annual reports to the legislature on the status of its efforts to effectuate the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 3.  No later than October 31, 2025, the department of accounting and general services shall remove all parking meters from the state capitol parking facility.  The affected parking stalls shall be allocated among the governor, lieutenant governor, senate, house of representatives, and legislative reference bureau on a pro rata basis and made available to state employees whose place of employment is the state capitol and who meet the qualifications of their respective employer's parking policies.  To offset the loss of metered parking stalls in the state capitol, the department of accounting and general services may establish and maintain additional public metered parking stalls available in the Kinau Hale parking lot and the state parking garage located at 301 South Vineyard Street.

     SECTION 4.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $         or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the department of accounting and general services to plan and implement security improvements, including the planning, design, and installation of vehicular barriers, at the state capitol pursuant to section 2 of this Act.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of accounting and general services for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 5.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $         or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the department of public safety to purchase or lease security screening equipment as may be necessary and contract the services of private screening personnel at the state capitol to effectuate the purposes of section 2 of this Act.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of public safety for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

Report Title:

State Capitol; DAGS; DPS; Security; Appropriation

Description:

Requires DAGS and DPS, in consultation with the legislature and other entities, to plan and implement security improvements at the state capitol.  Requires DAGS to remove all parking meters from the capitol parking facility and reallocate parking in the capitol district.  Appropriates funds.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.