HB 883: RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to emergency management.

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

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that despite Hawaii's increasing risk of experiencing extreme weather events, information consolidation and sharing is lacking as it relates to locations where the public can shelter at a moment's notice.  In addition, few public buildings meet minimum requirements for hurricane sheltering while demand for public evacuation shelter space is likely to exceed available inventory.

     The legislature finds it is critical to take a more focused approach towards shelter retrofitting and strengthen communication of available shelters amongst government entities and the general public. 

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Require the Hawaii emergency management agency to inventory all designated emergency shelters statewide and their ability to withstand a category one hurricane or higher;

     (2)  Collaborate with the counties to publish a publicly available list of shelters and their respective hurricane rating; and

     (3)  Provide funding for the hurricane shelter retrofit program and establish a director position to manage its activities.

     SECTION 2.  Section 127A-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§127A-3  Hawaii emergency management agency.  (a)  There is established within the department of defense the Hawaii emergency management agency.  The adjutant general shall serve as the director of Hawaii emergency management and, subject to the direction and control of the governor, shall oversee the agency.

     (b)  There shall be an administrator of emergency management who shall be appointed, and may be removed, by the director, and who shall have at least three years of experience leading emergency management efforts at the local, state, or federal level.  The administrator of emergency management shall be the civilian head of and responsible for the day-to-day operations of the agency.  The administrator of emergency management shall report to the director.  The administrator of emergency management shall, in the absence of the director, have all the duties and responsibilities of the director, and shall report directly to the governor.  The administrator of emergency management shall not be subject to chapter 76.

     (c)  The administrator may, from funds allotted therefor, employ technical, clerical, administrative, and other personnel and make such expenditures as may be necessary.

     (d)  The administrator shall coordinate the activities of the agency with all county emergency management agencies, other state agencies, other states, or federal agencies involved in emergency management activities, and all organizations for emergency management within the State, whether public or private, and shall maintain liaison and cooperate with all county emergency management agencies, other state agencies, other states, or federal agencies involved in emergency management activities as provided in this chapter.

     (e)  The agency shall perform emergency management functions within the territorial limits of the State.  In performing its duties, the agency shall:

     (1)  Prepare a state comprehensive emergency management plan, which shall be integrated into and coordinated with the emergency management plans of the federal government.  The plan shall be integrated by a continuous, integrated comprehensive emergency management program.  The plan shall contain provisions to ensure that the State prepares for, mitigates against, responds to, and recovers from emergencies and minor, major, and catastrophic disasters.  In preparing and maintaining the plan, the agency shall work closely with agencies and organizations with emergency management responsibilities;

     (2)  Assign lead and support responsibilities to state agencies and personnel for emergency management functions and other support activities;

     (3)  Adopt standards and requirements for county emergency management plans.  The standards and requirements shall ensure that county plans are coordinated and consistent with the state comprehensive emergency management plan;

     (4)  Make recommendations to the legislature, building code organizations, and counties for zoning, building, and other land use controls; and other preparedness, prevention, and mitigation measures designed to eliminate emergencies or reduce their impact;

     (5)  Anticipate trends and promote innovations that will enhance the emergency management system;

     (6)  Institute statewide public awareness programs.  This shall include intensive public educational campaigns on emergency preparedness issues, including but not limited to the personal responsibility of individual citizens to be self-sufficient for up to fourteen days following a natural or human-caused disaster;

     (7)  Coordinate federal, state, and local emergency management activities and take all other steps, including the partial or full mobilization of emergency management forces and organizations in advance of an actual emergency, to ensure the availability of adequately trained and equipped forces of emergency management personnel before, during, and after emergencies and disasters;

     (8)  Implement training programs to improve the ability of state and local emergency management personnel to prepare and implement emergency management plans and programs.  This shall include a continuous training program for agencies and individuals that will be called on to perform key roles in state and local post-disaster response and recovery efforts and for local government personnel on federal and state post-disaster response and recovery strategies and procedures;

     (9)  Adopt standards and requirements for state agency emergency operating procedures and periodically review emergency operating procedures of state agencies and recommend revisions as needed to ensure consistency with the state comprehensive emergency management plan and program; and

    (10)  Coordinate, in advance whenever possible, such executive orders, proclamations, and rules for issuance by the governor as are necessary or appropriate for coping with emergencies and disasters.

     (f)  The agency shall inventory all designated emergency shelters statewide and their ability to withstand a category one hurricane or higher."

     SECTION 4.  Section 127A-19, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (f) to read as follows:

     "(f)  For purposes of this section, "shelter" includes any structure, excavation, or other facility or item used or useful for the protection of persons[.] and any public building constructed after January 2026 that meets the requirements of section 107-27(e)."

     SECTION 3.  The Hawaii emergency management agency shall collaborate with the respective counties to publish a publicly available list of shelters and their respective hurricane rating by category no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026.

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 a hurricane shelter retrofit program; provided that $           of the appropriation may be used to fund one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) position in the Hawaii emergency management agency for a hurricane shelter retrofit program director.

     The sums appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaii emergency management agency for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 5.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

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

Report Title:

HIEMA; Emergency Management; Preparedness; Inventory; Appropriation; Retrofitting

Description:

Requires the Hawaii emergency management agency to inventory all designated emergency shelters and their ability to withstand a category one hurricane or higher.  Requires Hawaii emergency management agency to publish a publicly available list of shelters and their respective hurricane ratings.  Appropriates funds for a hurricane shelter retrofit program and director.

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