STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2338

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3206

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 3206 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DATA ABOUT SNORKELS AND MASKS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require first responders to record in the incident report for each water rescue event the type of snorkel and mask, if any, worn by the person who was rescued or recovered.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea and sixty-eight individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health.

Your Committee finds that every year an average of sixty-six Hawaii residents and visitors experience snorkel related drowning events, including twenty which are ultimately fatal. Currently, data is not systematically collected on the circumstances of the event or type of snorkel. Your Committee believes that understanding snorkel use can lead to better public health messaging and improvements in snorkel design. This measure will allow the State to assess the risk of certain equipment and ultimately take action to inform and protect the thousands of people who snorkel in Hawaiian waters each day by requiring first responders to include in the incident report for each water rescue event the type of snorkel and mask, if any, worn by the person who was rescued or recovered.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3206 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

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CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair