Bill > SB1378

This bill aims to modify the civil service status of certain positions within the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency by converting emergency management specialist series positions at level V and higher from civil service to exempt status. The legislature finds that there is a shortage of qualified emergency management staff and believes that exempting these key positions from standard civil service requirements will create a more responsive and flexible hiring system. The bill specifically amends Section 76-16 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes to add these emergency management specialist positions to the list of exempt positions, which means they can be hired and managed with fewer bureaucratic constraints than traditional civil service roles. The motivation behind this change is to improve the agency's ability to quickly recruit, hire, and retain experienced emergency management professionals by providing more hiring flexibility. The bill will take effect immediately upon approval, and it does not impact the civil service status of any current employees. This change is part of a broader effort to address staffing challenges in critical public safety and emergency response positions.

Government Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=1378&year=2026