RELATING TO DISASTER SERVICES.

Part II adds a requirement for HIEMA to develop and implement by July 1, 2027, a statewide public education and communications program to promote household emergency preparedness consistent with the agency's fourteen-day essential supplies recommendation. The program must include a comprehensive communications plan targeting priority audiences (low-income households, kupuna, persons with disabilities, medically vulnerable individuals, limited English proficiency communities), multilingual and culturally relevant materials, a multi-media dissemination strategy (TV, internet, social media, radio, mobile), and an evaluation framework with measurable outcomes.

The bill was restructured from a single act into five distinct parts (Part I through Part V), each with its own findings, purpose statement, and operative provisions, significantly broadening the overall scope of the legislation.

Part III requires the governor or county mayor to provide a certified American Sign Language interpreter at each live broadcast press conference during a state of emergency, beginning July 1, 2027. The interpreter must be positioned so face, body, arms, and hands are visible, and a standardized pool feed must include the interpreter in a picture-in-picture window not less than one quarter the size of the primary video, unobstructed by captions or graphics.

The civil service exemption provision was moved from amending section 127A-3 to amending section 76-16(b), adding the disability integration specialist position (along with other HIEMA positions) to the list of positions exempt from civil service requirements in paragraph (32).

Part IV appropriates funds for fiscal year 2026-2027 for HIEMA to expand access to bilingual resources and services for residents with limited English proficiency, citing that 25% of Hawaii's population speaks a language other than English at home and over 10% have limited English proficiency.

The compliance provision in what was Section 2 (now Section 3) was restructured: the single-paragraph description of ADA compliance duties was broken into four discrete subparts (A through D) covering integration of disability needs, advising on accessibility practices, supporting county continuity, and interfacing with advocacy organizations.

Part II requires HIEMA to submit annual reports to the legislature beginning in 2028 and continuing through 2030, covering implementation progress, media assets produced, partner engagement, progress measures on public awareness and household preparedness, barriers identified, expenditures, and recommendations.