Lawmakers in conference committee, one of the final legislative hurdles, have passed Senate Bill 2085 to establish a dedicated fire marshal who will direct statewide efforts to prevent and respond to fires.
Hawaiʻi is the only state without one.
The position was abolished in 1979, and replaced with a volunteer fire council — including the fire chiefs from the four counties.
After a fire swept through Lahaina last August and killed a confirmed 101 people, there were calls to reestablish the position.
Lawmakers agreed this week on giving the marshal a five-year term and a $120,000 annual salary.
The fire marshal would be appointed by the governor from a three-person list submitted by the fire council. The marshal would not require Senate confirmation.
If the bill passes a floor vote and the governor's desk, the fire marshal's office will be created in July as an agency in the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
