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REPORT OF THE POLICY COMMITTEE <br />ON HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELL-BEING <br />DATE: June 2, 2026 Re: Comm. No. 888Bill No. 157 <br />PLACE: Council Chambers <br />Hilo, Hawaii <br />TIME: 3:00 p.m. <br />Council Chair and Members <br />Hawaii County Council <br />Hilo, Hawaii 96720 <br />Your Policy Committee on Health, Safety, and Well-being, to which was referred Bill No. 157, <br />reports as follows: <br />Bill No. 157, transmitted by Council Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz via Communication <br />No. 888, dated May 1, 2026, amends Chapter 7 of the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, <br />as amended), related to Disaster Recovery. <br />Bill 157 establishes a County Disaster Recovery Program to coordinate short -and long-term <br />recovery efforts following major disasters, led by a recovery officer appointed by the <br />mayor with the responsibility for recovery planning, interagency coordination, community <br />engagement, funding management, and the development of interim and long-term <br />recovery and resilience plans. <br />Health, Safety, and Well-being Committee Meeting of May 19, 2026 <br />Civil Defense Administrator Talmage Magno was present in the Chambers. <br />The Committee accepted public testimony on Bill 157. Committee Member Kierkiewicz <br />provided an overview, highlighting the 2018 Kilauea eruption and COVID-19 responses. The <br />County lacks an established recovery framework to quickly respond to natural disasters. <br />Ms: Kierkiewicz commended the improvised recovery efforts across three administrations in <br />support to eruption recovery. She also commended Recovery Officer Douglas Le and his efforts <br />in building a recovery framework. Ms. Kierkiewicz cited wasted time and the suffering of <br />constituents because of the lack of knowledge of how to move forward. The recovery framework <br />would activate when natural disaster occurs or via declaration by the federal, state or county <br />governments, and would deactivate when services are no longer needed. The recovery officer <br />position is a mayoral cabinet position but would not be a permanent position. There are two <br />guiding deliverables; six months for the interim recovery strategy and recovery and resilience <br />plan twelve months after the interim recovery strategy is published. <br />Ms. Kierkiewicz continued to highlight the embedded community engagement within Bill 157. <br />She encouraged future administrations to involve the community when the recovery framework <br />is activated. <br />PCHS W Report No. 9 <br />