Report Title:

Statewide first responder building mapping information system

Description:

Establishes a statewide first responder building mapping information system.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2868

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to public safety.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature recognizes the extreme dangers present when the safety of the people of the state requires first responders, such as police officers and firefighters, to evacuate and secure a building. To prepare to respond to natural disasters, criminal activity, and acts of terrorism, the legislature finds that it is necessary to establish a statewide first responder building mapping information system that will provide all first responders with the information they need to operate effectively when disaster strikes. The first responder building mapping system is to be developed for a limited and specific purpose and is in no way to be construed as imposing standards or system requirements on any other mapping systems developed and used for any other purpose by the State or its political subdivisions.

The purpose of this Act is to help protect the welfare of the residents of the State by establishing a statewide first responder building mapping information system.

SECTION 2. The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"Chapter

STATEWIDE FIRST RESPONDER BUILDING

MAPPING INFORMATION SYSTEM

§ -1 Establishment. (a) The civil defense agency shall establish and operate a statewide first responder building mapping information system.

(b) All agencies of the State and its political subdivisions shall use building mapping software that complies with the building mapping software standards established in section -2 for any building mapped for this purpose after the statewide first responder building mapping information system is operational. If, prior to the establishment of the statewide building mapping information system, a political subdivision of the State has used building mapping software standards established in section -2, the political subdivision may continue to use its own building mapping system.

(c) All buildings owned by the State or its political subdivisions and occupied by employees of the State or its political subdivisions shall be mapped.

(d) Once the statewide first responder building mapping information system is operational, all buildings described in subsection (c) shall forward their building mapping information to the civil defense agency. In addition, privately and federally owned buildings that wish to participate in the system may forward their mapping and emergency information data to the civil defense agency. The civil defense agency may refuse any building mapping information that fails to comply with the specifications described in section -2.

(e) Pursuant to section -2, the civil defense agency shall make electronic versions of the building mapping information available to the police and fire departments of each political subdivision of the State, all law enforcement agencies of the federal government, and the department of defense.

(f) Pursuant to the criteria developed under section

   -2, the civil defense agency shall develop building mapping software standards that shall be used to participate in the statewide first responder building mapping information system.

(g) The civil defense agency shall pursue federal funds to:

(1) Establish the statewide first responder building mapping information system; and

(2) Develop grants for the mapping of all buildings of the State or its political subdivisions in the order determined under section -2.

(h) All tactical and intelligence information provided to the civil defense agency pursuant to this section shall be exempt from public disclosure.

§ -2 Mapping standards. (a) In cooperation with the police and fire departments of each political subdivision of the State, all law enforcement agencies of the federal government, and the department of defense, the civil defense agency shall convene a temporary committee to establish criteria related to the statewide first responder building mapping information system. The committee shall:

(1) Develop the type of information to be included in the statewide first responder building mapping information system, including:

(A) Floor plans;

(B) Fire protection information;

(C) Evacuation plans;

(D) Utility information;

(E) Known hazards; and

(F) Text and digital images displaying the contact information of emergency personnel;

(2) Develop building mapping software standards that shall be used by all entities participating in the statewide first responder building mapping information system;

(3) Determine the order in which buildings shall be mapped when funding is received;

(4) Develop criteria for how the information shall be made available, including detailed security procedures and systems to ensure that the information is only made available to:

(A) The entity that owns the building; or

(B) The emergency personnel responding to the incident at the building; and

(5) Recommend guidelines for training emergency personnel to use the statewide first responder building mapping information system.

(b) Nothing in this section shall supersede the authority of the State or its political subdivisions to control and maintain access to information within their independent systems.

§ -3 Civil immunity. Employees of the State and its political subdivisions shall be immune from civil liability for damages arising out of the establishment and use of the statewide first responder building mapping information system, unless it is shown that an employee acted with gross negligence or bad faith."

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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