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Committee passes EMS, habitual-violent-crime extension and emergency-management bills with amendments
Summary
The Senate public-safety committee voted to pass three additional bills — on emergency medical services, the habitual violent crimes act and emergency management — advancing each with amendments after brief testimony and remarks from agencies and community advocates.
After considering lengthy testimony on corrections and compassionate release, the Senate Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs moved a package of additional measures.
House Bill 17-52 (emergency medical services) received support from the Department of Defense and written comments from the Department of Health; DOH noted the bill’s language duplicates provisions already in other bills moving through the Legislature (HB 2314 and SB 3134). The committee recommended passing HB 17-52 with an amended effective date.
House Bill 20-78, HD1 (relating to habitual violent crime) received support from the Attorney General’s Office and the Honolulu Police Department, which said the law provides tools to address repeat violent offenders. Civil-society witnesses including Community Alliance on Prisons opposed the measure, raising historical and policy concerns about punitive habitual-offender statutes. The committee voted to pass HB 20-78 with amendments to its effective date and to note concerns in the committee report.
House Bill 25-81, HD2 (emergency management) prompted community testimony urging stronger community involvement in emergency proclamation processes and critiques of preparedness during recent storms. The committee adopted amendments incorporating original contents and proposed Senate draft language and passed the bill.
All three measures were recommended to pass with amendments; several committee members were recorded as excused from votes. The committee adjourned after completing the agenda.
