STAND. COM. REP. NO.  405-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2207

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2207 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR DISASTER RELIEF,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of the bill is to appropriate $5,770,710 to the county of Hawaii to assist with earthquake recovery efforts.

     Although the county of Hawaii received an emergency appropriation in 2007 from the State for damages caused by the earthquake of October 2006, additional funding is needed by the county to leverage federal matching funds from the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

     Your Committee recognizes the extensive damage done by the earthquake and the need for funding to help the county recover, rebuild, and return to normal life.  The provision of state funds will allow the county of Hawaii to maximize the available federal reimbursements to support disaster relief.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2207 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety & Military Affairs,

____________________________

CINDY EVANS, Chair