Report Title:

Civil Defense; Emergency and Disaster Hotlines

 

Description:

Requires the Director of Disaster Relief to coordinate efforts to establish telephone hotlines to facilitate the dissemination of information relating to emergencies and natural disasters, to enable businesses to make direct contact with relevant state and county agencies in case of questions about information not covered by public bulletins.  Appropriates funds.

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1091

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

RELATING TO CIVIL DEFENSE.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  Chapter 127, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§127-      Emergency and disaster hotlines.  (a)  The director of disaster relief shall coordinate efforts to establish telephone hotlines to facilitate the dissemination of information relating to emergencies and natural disasters, to enable businesses to make direct contact with relevant state and county agencies in matters that are not covered by public bulletins.

     As used in this section, "direct contact" means person-to-person communication and does not include pre-recorded messages.

     (b)  The emergency and disaster hotlines shall operate during periods in which the governor has proclaimed a state of disaster to exist, and operations shall fall under the direction and control of the director.

     (c)  The disaster relief agency shall compile and publicize a listing of emergency and disaster hotline numbers, which shall be updated on an annual basis.

     (d)  In coordinating these efforts, the director shall take into account existing procedures and facilities for similar purposes within state and county agencies.

     SECTION 2.  The director of disaster relief shall submit to the legislature a report on the status and progress of the establishment of emergency and disaster hotlines no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2008.

     SECTION 3.  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 2007-2008 to establish emergency and disaster hotlines.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the division of disaster relief of the department of defense for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2007.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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