STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3155

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 Judiciary, 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 the type of snorkel and mask, if any, worn by the person who was rescued or recovered in the incident report for each water rescue event.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea and forty-two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority's snorkel safety study, conducted from August 2017 to April 2021, drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among visitors to the State and snorkeling is the most common activity associated with visitor drownings. However, due to a lack of evidence, it is difficult for researchers to determine whether the type of snorkel or mask worn increases the risk of drowning. This measure will allow the State to make well-informed policy changes to decrease the number of snorkeling deaths in the State by requiring first responders to record in the incident report for each water rescue event the type of snorkel and mask, if any, that were worn by the person who was rescued or recovered.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary 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 Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

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KARL RHOADS, Chair