Report Title:

State Fire Council; Personnel

 

Description:

Establishes 2 full-time equivalent positions for the state fire council, an administrator and an administrative assistant, to be funded by the department of labor and industrial relations.  Appropriates funds.  (SB2720 HD1)

 


THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2720

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008

S.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

 

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 purpose of this Act is to establish two full-time equivalent positions to enable the state fire council to more effectively meet its responsibilities and to identify the funding source for those positions.

     SECTION 2.  Section 132-16, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§132-16  State fire council; composition; administrative staff; budget; functions.  (a)  There is established a state fire council which shall be placed within the department of labor and industrial relations for administrative purposes.  The state fire council shall consist of the fire chiefs of the counties.  The state fire council may appoint an advisory committee to assist it in carrying out its functions under this chapter.  The advisory committee may include the heads of the various county building departments, a licensed architect recommended by the Hawaii Society of the American Institute of Architects, a licensed electrical engineer and a licensed mechanical engineer recommended by the Consulting Engineers Council of Hawaii, a representative of the Hawaii Rating Bureau, a representative of the Hawaii firefighters association, representatives of the county fire departments, and such other members of the public as the state fire council may determine can best assist it.  The state fire council shall elect a chairperson from among its members.

     (b)  The state fire council may employ an administrator and an administrative assistant, without regard to chapters 76 and 89, who shall hold their respective positions at the discretion of the state fire council.  The administrator shall have full power to administer the affairs of the council, subject to the direction and approval of the council.  The state fire council shall determine the compensation for the administrator and the administrative assistant.

     The administrator of the state fire council shall be responsible for:

     (1)  Carrying out the daily operations of the state fire council;

     (2)  Administering the adoption of the state fire code by the counties;

     (3)  Applying for and expending federal grant assistance for fire-related projects;

     (4)  Coordinating statewide training, education, and data collection; and

     (5)  Performing other duties as directed by the council.

     [(b)] (c)  In addition to adopting a state fire code pursuant to section 132-3, the state fire council shall serve as a focal point through which all applications to the federal government for federal grant assistance for fire-related projects shall be made.  Upon the receipt of any such federal grants, the state fire council shall administer those federal grants.

     [(c)] (d)  The state fire council may also:

     (1)  Appoint advisory committees comprised of representatives from each county fire department to assist in drafting the state fire code and coordinating statewide training, data collection, and contingency planning needs for firefighters; and

     (2)  Advise and assist the county fire departments where appropriate, may prescribe standard procedures and forms relating to inspections, investigations, and reporting of fires, may approve plans for cooperation among the county fire departments, and may advise the governor and the legislature with respect to fire prevention and protection, life safety, and any other functions or activities for which the various county fire departments are generally responsible.

     (e)  The budgetary requirements for conducting meetings and other related functions of the state fire council, including salaries of the administrator and of the administrative assistant, shall be included in the budget of the department of labor and industrial relations."

     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 2008-2009 for the department of labor and industrial relations to employ an administrator and an administrative assistant for the state fire council.

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

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2020.