Report Title:

State Fire Council

 

Description:

Requires the State Fire Council to develop a statewide brushfire mitigation plan and appropriates funds.  

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2376

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

RELATING TO THE STATE FIRE COUNCIL.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that each year brushfires endanger people and property on each island of the State.  In 2007 alone, brushfires burned thousands of acres on the Waianae Coast and North Shore of Oahu, Lahaina and the Kula Forest Reserve on Maui, and Waikoloa on Hawaii.  These fires threatened homes and businesses in these areas, and they required vast amounts of resources and personnel to bring them under control. 

     The purpose of this Act is to reduce the danger of wildfires throughout the State by requiring the state fire council to develop a comprehensive statewide brushfire mitigation plan.

     SECTION 2.  The state fire council shall develop a statewide brushfire mitigation plan.  The plan shall include:

     (1)  Identification of private and public methods of accomplishing the goal of brushfire reduction;

     (2)  Development of a program to educate the public on brushfire prevention and safety; and

     (3)  Exploration of additional resources to prevent brushfires and mitigate the effects of brushfires when they occur.

     SECTION 3.  In developing the statewide brushfire mitigation plan, the state fire council shall investigate the potential effects of widespread use of reduced ignition propensity cigarettes in the prevention of brushfires throughout the State.

     SECTION 4.  The state fire council shall develop recommendations for proposed legislation designed to reduce the occurrence of brushfires in the State and mitigate the harmful effects of brushfires when they occur.  The state fire council shall report its findings, including proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening regular session of 2009.

     SECTION 5.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $400,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 for the purposes of this Act, including the establishment and staffing of a minimum of four positions to implement a public education program on brushfire prevention and safety.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of labor and industrial relations for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 6.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2008.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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