The bill mandates the establishment of a Disability Integration Specialist within HEMA, who will be responsible for coordinating disability-related planning and ensuring compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) along with other relevant laws. In addition, it allocates funds to support programming aimed at improving accessibility in emergency shelters and enhancing disaster resilience for the disability community. This establishes a formalized approach to improve disaster preparedness and response initiatives across the state for vulnerable populations.
Summary
SB2385 proposes significant amendments to the functions of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HEMA) with a focus on ensuring better disaster services for individuals with disabilities. It identifies that approximately one in five residents in Hawaii has a disability and highlights the specific challenges they face during emergencies, such as accessibility issues in shelters and a lack of support services. The bill seeks to address these barriers by integrating the needs of individuals with disabilities into emergency management at all levels, from planning through to recovery.
Contention
While the bill focuses on a critical gap in disaster management for individuals with disabilities, it may face challenges related to the implementation of its provisions and the adequacy of funding appropriations. Some may argue about the sufficiency of allocated resources, which total $200,000 for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, to effectively establish new roles and implement comprehensive training programs. Further, questions around bureaucratic expansion, the capacity for timely execution, and potential pushback from stakeholders concerned about fiscal accountability might arise in legislative discussions.
A resolution to direct the Clerk of the House of Representatives to only present to the Governor enrolled House bills finally passed by both houses of the One Hundred Third Legislature.
Relating to nonsubstantive additions to, revisions of, and corrections in enacted codes, to the nonsubstantive codification or disposition of various laws omitted from enacted codes, and to conforming codifications enacted by the 88th Legislature to other Acts of that legislature.