STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1505

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 894

       H.D. 2

       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 Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 894, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ENHANCED 911 BOARD,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide the Enhanced 911 Board the authority to employ staff.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services, the Honolulu Police Department, the County of Hawaii Police Department, and the Enhanced 911 Board.

     Your Committee finds that enhanced 911 services allow public safety answering points to identify and locate 911 callers.  The Enhanced 911 Board was created in 2004 to collect and expend funds to make public safety answering points capable of providing enhanced 911 services.  Your Committee also finds that the Enhanced 911 Board has never had the authority to hire staff.  The Enhanced 911 Board has expressed interest in hiring employees to perform the duties of an executive director and basic administrative functions.  Your Committee believes that the hiring of staff would enhance the Board's efficiency and effective use of fiscal resources, thereby improving 911 services for the State.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 894, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair