STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1413

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     H.B. No. 1553

        H.D. 1

        S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 1553, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELAND SECURITY,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the Hawaii State Fusion Center as a program under the Office of Homeland Security and the position of the Hawaii State Fusion Center Director.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Defense; Department of Public Safety; Department of Transportation, Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Human Services; Department of Education; Office of Homeland Security; Office of Enterprise Technology Services; Hawaii State Fire Council; City and County of Honolulu Board of Water Supply; City and County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management; County of Maui Fire Department; County of Kauai Fire Department; County of Hawaii Police Department; County of Kauai Police Department; City and County of Honolulu Fire Department; Hawaiian Electric Companies; Chaminade University of Honolulu; Hawaii Gas; CyberHawaii; Retail Merchants of Hawaii; Star Protection Agency; lnfraGard Hawaii Members Alliance; and two individuals.

 

     Your Committees find that chapter 128A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to homeland security, was enacted to provide for all homeland security functions of the State and counties, such as ensuring that the State will be adequately prepared to deal with terrorist attacks, preserving the lives and property of the people of the State, and protecting the public's peace, health, and safety.  Your Committees further find that the Hawaii State Fusion Center supports these objectives by being the focal point for sharing local, national, and international information with the intelligence community.

 

     Your Committees also find that the Fusion Center will be a significant resource to the State and will serve as an important hub for federal, state, and county agencies and private entities to share current information on security and other issues that impact Hawaii residents.  The Fusion Center monitors issues that relate to homelessness, cybersecurity, the REAL ID Act, improving system response to workplace violence, and coordinated responses to sex trafficking, among other issues.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1553, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1553, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Technology,

 

________________________________

JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair

 

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair