§708-818 Burglary of a building during an emergency period. (1) A person commits the offense of burglary of a building if, during an emergency period proclaimed by the governor or mayor pursuant to chapter 127A and within the area covered by the emergency period, the person intentionally enters or remains unlawfully in a building other than a dwelling with intent to commit therein a crime against a person or against property rights.

(2) Burglary of a building during an emergency period is a class B felony. [L 2006, c 116, pt of §3; am L 2014, c 111, §18]

COMMENTARY ON §§708-817 AND 708-818

Act 116, Session Laws 2006, added these sections, classifying burglary of a dwelling during a civil defense emergency or during a period of disaster relief, as a class A felony and of a building during a civil defense emergency or during a period of disaster relief, as a class B felony. Act 116 penalized the commission of certain crimes during a time of a civil defense emergency proclaimed by the governor or during a period of disaster relief. The legislature found that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita created situations that highlighted the prevalence of opportunistic crimes that can occur during these times. When resources are needed to restore law and order, emergency response aid to victims may be hampered or delayed, leaving victims at an increased risk of bodily injury or death. Stronger measures to control law and order may deter looting and other crimes. House Standing Committee Report No. 757-06, Senate Standing Committee Report No. 3302, Conference Committee Report No. 64-06.

Act 111, Session Laws 2014, amended §§708-817 and 708-818. Act 111 updated and recodified Hawaii's emergency management laws to conform with nationwide emergency management practices by, among other things, establishing a Hawaii emergency management agency in the state department of defense with the functions and authority currently held by the state civil defense agency; establishing the power and authority of the director of Hawaii emergency management, who will be the adjutant general, and providing the director with the functions and authority currently held by the director of civil defense; establishing county emergency management agencies, each to be under the respective county mayor's direction, with the functions and authority currently held by the local organizations for civil defense; and repealing the chapters on disaster relief [chapter 127] and the civil defense [and] emergency act [chapter 128], which were determined to be obsolete with the creation of the Hawaii emergency management agency. Conference Committee Report No. 129-14.