STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2897

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2841

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts, to which was referred S.B. No. 2841 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WATER SAFETY DAY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to designate May 15 of each year as Water Safety Day, to recognize and spread awareness of the drowning pandemic and educate Hawaii's youth in becoming safer in and around the water.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!, Hawaii Water Safety Coalition, Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation, Pool and Hot Tub Alliance, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Health recently reported that drowning was the leading cause of death for children one to seventeen years of age in Hawaii between 2018 and 2022. Your Committee further finds that International Water Safety Day is a worldwide effort to spread awareness of the drowning pandemic and to educate youth in becoming safer in and around the water. This measure will increase water safety awareness to help prevent and reduce the number of fatal and non-fatal child drowning incidents in the State.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2841 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts,

________________________________

CHRIS LEE, Chair