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Subject: Testimony Opposing Bill 64- Protect Public Safety in Hawaii County
Aloha
My name is Melanie Higa I am writing to express my opposition to BILL 64, which proposes
to allow non -licensed individuals to be eligible for the position of the Director of Public "
Works in Hawaii County. This position has historically been held by a Licensed
Professional Engineer (PE) and should remain that way.
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This proposed change would undermine public safety and the integrity of our County's 1,
infrastructure for the following reasons:
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Engineering projects —roads, bridges, water systems, sewage, and flood control —directly
affectthe lives, health, and safety of every resident. Licensed engineers are trained, tested,
and held accountable by state law (HRS Chapter 464) to safeguard the public. Removing
this requirement allows critical decisions to be made by individuals without the technical
expertise or legal responsibility that comes with licensure.
Across the nation, disasters have occurred when engineering judgment was ignored or
overruled by non -engineers —such as the Challenger shuttle disaster and the Hurricane
Katrina levee failures. In both cases, engineers raised safety concerns that were
disregarded, leading to catastrophic loss of life. Hawaii cannot afford to weaken its
safeguards in the same way.
Professional Engineers take an oath, known as the Engineers' Creed, pledgingto place the
public welfare above'all other considerations. This professional accountability is unique to
Licensed engineers. Without a PE in charge, there is no assurance that public safety will
remain the paramount priority in County infrastructure decisions.
While we understand the County has faced challenges in recruiting PEs for the Director
position, Bill 64 goes too far by opening eligibility to non -engineers. This risks allowing
political, financial, or public -relations considerations to override sound engineering
judgment.
I urge you to vote against Bill 64 for the safety and wellbeing of our community.
Comm. . V
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