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The United States Pacific Command is based in Pearl Harbor and Hawaii has a very high 
concentration of U.S. military commands making it both a strategic & symbolic target. 
While the US military may have contingency plans for such an event from a military perspective, 
civilian agencies must also be prepared. 
These civilian plans have not been updated since 1985 and the capabilities of shelters have 
declined steadily into non-existence since the end of the Cold War. 
The role of the House Committee on Public Safety includes overseeing programs relating to 
civilian emergency and disaster response. 
As Vice-Chair of that committee, Rep. LoPresti proposed legislation that would update disaster 
preparedness plans and shelters which could include natural or manmade disasters originating 
close to home, or from foreign lands. 
If some experts are correct that North Korea does now have or soon will have the capability to 
reach the Hawaiian Islands with an intercontinental ballistic missile with a nuclear (chemical or 
biological) warhead, it stands to reason that the government of North Korea would pose an 
imminent threat to the people of Hawaii. 
Despite whom you talk to, or whom you believe, as far as the nuclear delivery capabilities of 
North Korea, hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst is the burden of our government. 
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is unpredictable and wields absolute power in the nuclear 
capable country.  Mix that with an unpredictable foreign policy of a new US President and we 
have reasons to worry. 
It has been theorized that an intercontinental ballistic missile could travel from North Korea to 
Hawaii in 20 minutes. 
The Hawaiian Islands have no land-based access to outside assistance.  We cannot evacuate or 
drive supplies from the next town over so we have reason to be extra vigilant. 
In passing this legislation, it would be resolved that: 
o The Hawaii Department of Defense updates its disaster preparedness plans 
o Identify locations for usable fallout shelters, upgrade outdated fallout shelters, and 
update shelter signage, markings, provisions, and public awareness 
o Develop state lands that would accommodate mass storage infrastructure for shipping 
containers 
o Identify ports outside of the Island of Oahu that may be used in the case Oahu ports are 
disabled in the event of a disaster 
o And request the Hawaii Department of Defense report its findings and 
recommendations for such matters before the convening of the next legislative session 
For all these reasons, Rep. LoPresti proposed this legislation, hopes that the Hawaii State 
Legislature passes it, and hopes the State Government will act towards these ends whether the 
resolution passes or not.  
Lastly, Rep. LoPresti hopes that the Trump Administration and Congress would provide Hawaii 
with funds to accomplish these important goals, as they once did during the Cold War.