Hawaii Senate Bill SB3109

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/28/26
• Refer: 2/2/26
• Report Pass: 2/18/26
• Refer: 2/18/26
• Report Pass: 3/5/26
• Engrossed: 3/6/26
• Refer: 3/10/26
• Report Pass: 3/18/26
• Refer: 3/18/26
• Report Pass: 3/30/26
• Refer: 3/30/26
• Report Pass: 4/10/26

Caption

RELATING TO THE HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

Summary

SB3109 reorganizes the leadership structure of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) by replacing the agency’s “administrator of emergency management” with a “deputy director of emergency management” within the Department of Defense. The bill places that position under the direction of the adjutant general, makes the deputy director the first assistant for emergency management functions, and assigns responsibility for day-to-day operations of the agency. It also updates related statutory references so that county emergency management plans, agency rules, and other legal materials refer to the new title. The bill further amends the civil service law to expressly exempt the deputy director of emergency management from chapter 76, aligning the position with other high-level exempt executive roles. It requires the Commission on Salaries to include the position in executive branch salary recommendations beginning with the next adjustment cycle, and it sets out that the deputy director must have at least three years of emergency management leadership experience. The bill’s effective date is listed as July 1, 3000, which appears to be a placeholder or drafting anomaly rather than a practical implementation date.

Impact

This measure would amend Hawaii Revised Statutes sections 76-16 and chapter 127A to change the title, reporting structure, and legal references for HI-EMA’s top civilian leadership position. It would shift the role from an administrator to a deputy director, clarify that the position is appointed and removable by the director, and codify the deputy director’s authority over agency operations, personnel, coordination with counties, and emergency management partners. It also affects civil service classifications by adding the position to the list of exempt positions and directs salary-setting bodies to account for the new title in executive branch pay recommendations.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests broad support for the bill. It passed the Senate Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs Committee unanimously with amendments and later passed the Senate Ways and Means Committee unanimously and unamended. The bill text itself reflects a policy rationale focused on improving disaster readiness, clarifying command structure, and strengthening coordination, indicating a generally positive and administrative reform-oriented sentiment around the proposal.

Contention

No committee transcript excerpts were provided, and the recorded votes show no opposition, so there is little direct evidence of controversy in the available materials. The main substantive issue apparent from the bill text is organizational: whether HI-EMA should be led by an administrator reporting directly to the governor, or by a deputy director operating under the adjutant general within the Department of Defense. The bill also makes the position exempt from civil service and ties it to salary commission review, which could raise concerns about executive control, personnel flexibility, or compensation, but those concerns are not reflected in the provided vote record.