Hawaii-2020-SB2887-Amended

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that disaster recovery is a complex and long-term process that involves a range of activities, including short-term restoration of essential community functions and long-term resilient rebuilding, and many participants. Recovery begins shortly after the disaster occurs and can continue for many years. Recovery also incorporates hazard mitigation as restoration and rebuilding take place.

State, public, and private organizations share in providing for the public's health and safety. It is essential that the response, recovery, and mitigation activities of all parties be fully aligned.

The purpose of this Act is to enhance the capacity of the government, relevant agencies, and the community to recover from the impacts of disasters and build resilience and sustainability by establishing the long-term recovery authority to work with the state disaster recovery coordinator, whose position was funded through Act 113, Session Laws of Hawaii 2019.

SECTION 2. Chapter 127A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding two new sections to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§127A- Long-term recovery authority; general functions, duties, and powers. (a) There is established the long-term recovery authority under the Hawaii emergency management agency to:

(1) Recommend policy decisions and set strategic direction for resilient recovery planning;

(2) Recommend legislation that furthers recovery goals;

(3) Approve administrative decisions of the state disaster recovery coordinator; and

(4) Facilitate the identification, coordination, and delivery of recovery assistance efforts to supplement resources and efforts by local governments and citizens.

(b) The long-term recovery authority shall be flexible in size and composition to meet the requirements of the applicable situation and integrate personnel from all relevant entities.

(d) Notwithstanding subsection (b), the long-term recovery authority shall include the following members:

(1) The adjutant general or the adjutant general's designee;

(2) The administrator of the Hawaii emergency management agency or the administrator's designee;

(3) The director of finance or the director's designee;

(4) The county mayors or their designees;

(5) The directors of state departments or agencies that have been designated as the primary department or agency responsible for recovery support functions or the directors' designees; and

(6) The state coordinating officer for active disasters or the officer's designee.

(e) In addition to the members listed in subsection (d), the state disaster recovery coordinator may request participation or input from members of the public, experts in the field, other government officials, and others as necessary.

(f) At the discretion of the state disaster recovery coordinator, non-state government entity members of the long-term recovery authority may be reimbursed for the member's actual and necessary expenses, including travel expenses, incurred in carrying out the member's duties.

(g) The long-term recovery authority shall not be subject to the requirements of part I of chapter 92.

§127A- State disaster recovery coordinator; general functions, duties, and powers. The state disaster recovery coordinator shall:

(1) Report to the governor;

(2) Support and convene the long-term recovery authority;

(3) Establish and maintain recovery priorities and strategies on behalf of the governor;

(4) Convene and provide executive level coordination for local, state, and federal agencies working on disaster recovery programs and budgets;

(5) Facilitate the collaboration of disaster recovery efforts between the local, state, and federal governments; the private sector; and voluntary, faith-based, and community organizations;

(6) Serve as a point of contact between the State and applicable federal agencies and officers, including the supervising federal recovery officer;

(7) Develop a budget and operating procedures to fulfill the duties of and administer the long-term recovery authority; and

(8) Review recovery plans, policies, and decisions as required by this section and submit a report to the governor, legislature, and counties no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session."

SECTION 3. Section 127A-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new definition to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows:

""Recovery support functions" means the six key functional areas of assistance in a coordinated framework for disaster recovery as established by the National Disaster Recovery Framework Guide implemented by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "Recovery support functions" includes recovery assistance for community planning and capacity building, the economy, health and social services, housing, infrastructure systems, and natural and cultural resources."

SECTION 4. The office of the governor shall establish two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) positions, without regard to chapters 76 and 89, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to support the state disaster recovery coordinator and support and provide planning for the long-term recovery authority to carry out the purposes of this Act.

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 2020-2021 to fund the two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) positions authorized in section 4 and provide an operating budget for state disaster recovery coordination activities within the office of the governor.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the office of the governor for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 6. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2887
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020		S.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII		H.D. 1