STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3280

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2174

H.D. 2

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Water and Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 2174, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SEARCH AND RESCUE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Repeal the existing conditions under which government entities may seek reimbursement for search or rescue expenses and instead require a government entity of the State to impose and collect a fee for search or rescue expenses for persons who require rescue after leaving a hiking trail to enter an area closed to the public or hiking on a trail closed to the public, with a sign giving notice of the closure; and

(2) Require a report or documentation of the search and rescue to be submitted to the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Law Enforcement and four individuals.

Your Committees find that search and rescue operations for hikers who go on illegal or prohibited hikes cost the State and counties thousands of dollars per incident. Your Committees further find that as more people are participating in outdoor activities in recent years, the number of emergency rescue calls has also increased. Your Committees recognize that search and rescue operations are dangerous for first responders and taxing on state resources. This measure will allow the State and counties to seek reimbursement for these rescues from hikers who knowingly proceed on illegal hikes.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2042, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2174, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2174, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Water and Land,

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair