HB 1914 Summary

• Requires six agencies to each hire one full-time equivalent outreach, education, or volunteerism specialist to conduct disaster preparedness initiatives: Civil Defense Agency of County of Hawaii, Department of Emergency Management of City and County of Honolulu, Emergency Management Agency of County of Kauai, Emergency Management Agency of County of Maui, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, and University of Hawaii.

• Specialists shall conduct systematic disaster preparedness outreach using traditional and non-traditional strategies including voluntary and mandatory education, continuing education credits, school curriculum, and community partnerships for home retrofit financial assistance programs.

• Specialists shall increase community emergency response team volunteers, create additional Hawaii hazards awareness resilience program communities, expand mass media outreach through television, radio, and newspapers, and work with legislature to monitor preparedness efforts.

• Appropriates general revenue funds for fiscal year 2020-2021 to hire one full-time equivalent specialist at each of the six agencies (amounts left blank in bill text).

• Effective July 1, 2020.