STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2816

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2745

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 2745, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AIRCRAFT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Director of Transportation to adopt rules that require tour aircraft operators to verify that they have aircraft liability insurance coverage for an unspecified amount per person per incident.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Association for Justice. Your Committee received comments on this measure from Blue Hawaiian.

Your Committee finds that tour aircraft crashes resulting in both non-fatal and fatal injuries have increased in recent years. These crashes, especially in dense residential areas, are a serious problem that will only increase with the growing aircraft tours industry. Therefore, the tour aircraft permit process should require that each tour aircraft operator has adequate insurance to cover any loss of life and damage to property in the event of an accident.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2745, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

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ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair