Report Title:

Homeland Security Task Force; Terrorism

Description:

Establishes the homeland security task force within the office of the governor to incorporate national homeland security and defense initiatives into state and county preparedness, response, and recovery planning, including planning for cyber-terrorism and chemical, biological, and explosive attacks.

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

806

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to homeland security.

 

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

SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to establish a temporary homeland security task force within the office of the governor in order to incorporate national homeland security and defense initiatives into state and county preparedness, response, and recovery planning, including planning for cyber-terrorism and chemical, biological, and explosive attacks.

The legislature finds and declares that this Act is a timely and appropriate response to the events of September 11, 2001, and this country's ongoing war against terrorists and terrorism, both foreign and domestic.

SECTION 2. (a) There is established within the office of the governor, the homeland security task force. The task force shall be deemed a temporary commission for a special purpose in accordance with article V, section 6 of the state constitution.

(b) The task force shall consist of representatives from the following agencies:

(1) State civil defense;

(2) Department of defense;

(3) Department of health;

(4) Department of public safety;

(5) Department of transportation;

(6) County police departments;

(7) Department of accounting and general services;

(8) Department of the attorney general;

(9) United States Army Pacific, whose participation shall be requested by the governor; and

(10) Federal Bureau of Investigation, whose participation shall be requested by the governor.

The governor shall appoint the chairperson of the taskforce from among the seven state agencies enumerated in this subsection. The governor may expand the membership of the task force to include other persons, including private individuals, whom the governor deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act.

(c) The task force shall be staffed by one full-time equivalent (1.00 FTE) communications planner, one full-time equivalent (1.00 FTE) grant writer/program manager, and one full-time equivalent (1.00 FTE) training coordinator.

The governor may assign additional personnel from state agencies to provide assistance to the task force. The mayors of the several counties may assign additional personnel from county agencies to provide assistance to the task force; provided that this provision shall not be construed as a county mandate for the purposes of article VIII, section 5 of the state constitution.

(d) The purpose of the task force shall be to incorporate national homeland security and defense initiatives into state and county preparedness, response, and recovery planning, including planning for cyber-terrorism and chemical, biological, and explosive attacks. For the purposes of this Act, the term "national homeland security initiatives" include Presidential Decision Directives 39 and 63, dated June 21, 1995, and May 22, 1998, respectively.

(e) To the extent allowed by law, the governor may transfer federal grant moneys, relating to preparedness, response, and recovery planning for cyber-terrorism and chemical, biological, and explosive attacks, from any state or county agency to the office of the governor, for use by the taskforce.

(f) The taskforce shall adhere to the following schedule:

(1) To be completed by June 30, 2004: state and county preparedness, response, and recovery planning for chemical, biological, and explosive attacks; and an assessment of needs, vulnerabilities, and threats;

(2) To be completed by June 30, 2005: state and county preparedness, response, and recovery planning for cyber-terrorism and attacks on communication systems; and

(3) To be completed by June 30, 2006: integration and field testing of all state and county preparedness, response, and recovery plans.

(g) The taskforce shall submit progress reports and, if applicable, its recommendations to the legislature not less than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular sessions of 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007.

SECTION 3. 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 2003-2004, and the same sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2004-2005, to carry out the purposes of this Act. The sums appropriated shall be expended by the office of the governor.

SECTION 4. It is the intent of this Act not to jeopardize the receipt of any federal aid nor to impair the obligation of the State or any agency thereof to the holders of any bond issued by the State or by any such agency, and to the extent, and only to the extent, necessary to effectuate this intent, the governor may modify the strict provisions of this Act, but shall promptly report any such modification with reasons therefor to the legislature at its next session thereafter for review by the legislature.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2003, and shall be repealed on December 31, 2006.

INTRODUCED BY:

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