Bill Text: HI SB1179 | 2018 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To The Department Of Land And Natural Resources.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-11-30 - Carried over to 2018 Regular Session. [SB1179 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2018-SB1179-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
1179 |
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TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to the department of land and natural resources.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the department of land and natural resources has a telephone hotline that is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. However, staff is only available to intake these calls on Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday, Sunday, and holidays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Any hotline calls received after these business hours are recorded by a message machine and responded to upon the beginning the next business day. Callers have expressed concerns and frustration regarding the absence of a live-person performing intake services after regular business hours.
The legislature further finds that department hotline calls can relate to a variety of issues and matters that are under the department's responsibilities. However, the staff assigned to answer the hotline has not received formal training regarding intake and referral of calls to the appropriate division or office to handle the matter. For example, while the division of conservation and resource enforcement has a direct line for the public to report possible illegal activities occurring on state lands, waters, and natural or cultural resources, many persons call the hotline instead. This may result in a delayed response, especially if the call occurs after regular business hours and intake staff is unable to refer the report to the appropriate division or office. Thus, intake training is necessary to enable staff to respond to calls received on the department's hotline, determine the nature of the call, and efficiently refer the call to the appropriate division or office within the department.
The legislature also finds that the department's telephone hotline needs upgrades to more efficiently and effectively assist callers, especially callers using cellular smart phone technology. Furthermore, calls to the department's hotline and the direct line for the division of conservation and resource enforcement need to be distinguished and properly directed so that emergency calls can be immediately addressed by the appropriate responding division of conservation and resource enforcement officer.
The purpose of this Act to:
(1) Require the department of land and natural resources to develop a department telephone hotline intake training program and upgrade its telephone hotline to enable the department to efficiently and effectively receive and respond to information and reports relating to the department's duties and responsibilities;
(2) Require the division of conservation and resource enforcement of the department of land and natural resources to enter into memoranda of understanding with other law enforcement agencies to provide twenty-four-hour service through an existing law enforcement dispatch center; and
(3) Appropriate funds to the department of land and natural resources to upgrade its department telephone hotline and establish four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) permanent civil service positions to provide intake services for the department of land and natural resources' telephone hotline twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
SECTION 2. The department of land and natural resources shall develop a department telephone hotline intake training program to enable the department to efficiently and effectively receive information and respond to information and reports relating to the department's duties and responsibilities. The training program shall include but not be limited to:
(1) Procedures regarding providing intake services, determining the nature of the calls, and referring the calls received on the department hotline to enable intake staff to answer and respond to department hotline calls twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week;
(2) Procedures that enable the department's hotline intake staff to be the central contact for all divisions within the department during and after business hours so that questions and reports may be referred to and responded by the appropriate division or office; and
(3) Any other procedures that will facilitate the department's hotline to receive and respond to information and reports relating to the department's duties and responsibilities.
SECTION 3. The department of land and natural resources shall upgrade its telephone hotline to ensure the efficient and effective receipt and response to information and reports relating to the department's duties and responsibilities. The upgrades shall include but not be limited to:
(1) Procurement of an automated response system to generate calls to the division of conservation and resource enforcement for immediate response;
(2) Procurement of a short service message (SMS) system that is geolocation enabled to automatically route a hotline call to the correct division of conservation and resource enforcement personnel via the geolocation tag from the cellular smart phone of the caller; and
(3) Any other services or hotline system upgrades that will facilitate the efficient and effective responses and referrals.
SECTION 4. The division of conservation and resource enforcement of the department of land and natural resources shall enter into memoranda of understanding with other law enforcement agencies to provide twenty-four hour service through an existing law enforcement dispatch center, so that callers without the use of cellular smart phone technology may speak with a live-person.
SECTION 5. 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 2017-2018 to the department of land and natural resources to:
(1) Upgrade its telephone hotline to enable the department to efficiently and effectively receive information and respond to information and reports relating to the department's duties and responsibilities; and
(2) Establish four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) permanent civil service positions to provide intake services for the department's telephone hotline twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2017.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Intake Training; Hotline; Civil Service Position; Department of Land and Natural Resources; Appropriation
Description:
Requires the department of land and natural resources to develop a department telephone hotline intake training program and upgrade its telephone hotline to enable the department to efficiently and effectively receive information and respond to information and reports relating to the department's duties and responsibilities. Requires the division of conservation and resource enforcement of the department of land and natural resources to enter into memoranda of understanding with other law enforcement agencies to provide twenty-four-hour service through an existing law enforcement dispatch center. Appropriates funds to the department of land and natural resources to upgrade its telephone hotline and establish four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) permanent civil service positions to provide intake services for the department of land and natural resources' telephone hotline twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
