Sign Up
SB 1379 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.

Summary
Establishes the Community Readiness Centers Program to be implemented and administered by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. Establishes the Community Readiness Centers Special Fund to fund the Community Readiness Centers Program. Renames the Environmental Response, Energy, and Food Security Tax to the Environmental Response, Energy, Food Security, and Resilience Tax and directs a portion of the tax into the Community Readiness Centers Special Fund. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates moneys to acquire lands for community readiness centers and for an emergency operations center. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)
Issues: ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects portion of existing tax revenue to fund Community Readiness Centers Special Fund, explicitly allocating tax dollars toward emergency preparedness program.95% confidence
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB1379_SD1 → SB1379_SD2 · 5 edits
MODERATE
This bill was updated to strengthen Hawaii's disaster resilience by adding specific findings on the urgent need for a new Emergency Operations Center and recommending that Community Readiness Centers be co-located with these facilities. The text was expanded to cite recent climate reports and strategic plans, while the funding section was significantly altered to appropriate money specifically for acquiring land for both community readiness centers and the new emergency operations center.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded to explicitly include the acquisition of land for a new state Emergency Operations Center in addition to Community Readiness Centers, and it now mandates that these centers be strategically co-located based on climate resilience guidance.
SCOPE

Added findings stating the urgent need for a new state Emergency Operations Center due to outdated facilities and climate vulnerabilities.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement that Community Readiness Centers be strategically co-located with Emergency Operations Centers to ensure better disaster response coordination.

Added a requirement for the Emergency Operations Center to include solar power and backup battery storage to guard against power outages during disasters.

FISCAL

Added a specific appropriation to acquire land for both Community Readiness Centers and the new Emergency Operations Center on a designated tax map parcel.

TECHNICAL

Updated metadata including author names, bill numbers, and various date/timestamp fields.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
24
Key actions
9
Committee
11
Mar 21, 2025
Committee
Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1431) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
lower
Mar 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Hashem, Ichiyama, Lamosao, Morikawa, Poepoe, Woodson, Souza; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Iwamoto, Shimizu; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.
lower
Mar 6, 2025
Committee
Referred to PBS, FIN, referral sheet 19
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Introduced
Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 309) in amended form (SD 2).
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Upper · Passed
Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.
upper
Feb 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 11 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kim, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Kidani, Lee, C..
upper
Feb 26, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-28-25 10:35AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.
upper
Feb 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
upper
Feb 7, 2025
Committee
Reported from PSM (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 84) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
upper
Feb 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Fukunaga, Rhoads, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Wakai.
upper
Jan 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee on PSM will reconsider its previous decision on 01-31-25 and will hold a public decision making on 02-03-25 3:15PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
upper
Jan 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on PSM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in PSM were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Elefante, Wakai, Fukunaga, Rhoads, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.
upper
Jan 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 01-31-25 3:10PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
upper
Jan 27, 2025
Committee
Referred to PSM, WAM.
upper
Jan 23, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and passed First Reading.
upper
Jan 21, 2025
Introduced
Pending Introduction.
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Ron Kouchi
Ron Kouchi
DDemocratic
HI
8