STAND. COM. REP. NO. 592

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 533

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary and Labor, to which was referred S.B. No. 533, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Provide the news media, under the supervision of emergency management personnel, reasonable access to areas that are closed pursuant to emergency management powers of the Governor or Mayor;

 

     (2)  Indemnify the State and counties from any damage or injury to a person or property as a result of any news media entering an area closed pursuant to emergency management powers of the Governor or Mayor; and

 

     (3)  Designate a pool writer, pool photographer, and pool videographer to gather and disseminate information when full access to the area closed pursuant to emergency management powers of the Governor or Mayor cannot be reasonably granted.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from four individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Defense and Hawaii Emergency Management Agency of the Department of Defense.

 

     Your Committee finds that there have been significant events in the State that have affected the State's residents.  The recent lava flow on the Big Island impacted many residents, but the news media was restricted from accessing areas that were closed pursuant to emergency management powers.  As a result, the news media was unable to disseminate complete information to affected residents.  This measure will allow for public safety while safely providing the news media with access to closed areas.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary and Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 533, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary and Labor,

 

 

 

________________________________

GILBERT S.C. KEITH-AGARAN, Chair