HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	152
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

requesting the Department of Land and Natural Resources to establish a search and rescue division within the department to supplement and coordinate with other government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and volunteers to improve the timeline of rescue or recovery and number of missing individuals rescued or recovered.

WHEREAS, the natural and unique beauty of Hawaii's beaches, mountains, valleys, and other venues of outdoor recreational activity attracts hundreds of residents and visitors each day; and

WHEREAS, these outdoor recreational activities can often be treacherous, leading to missing individuals; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Land and Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for many of the State's popular outdoor activities, such as hiking, ocean recreational activities, hunting areas, and more; and

WHEREAS, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System of the National Institute of Justice, Hawaii ranks in the top seven of unresolved unclaimed persons cases; and

WHEREAS, the county fire and police departments typically search for missing persons up to seventy-two hours after a report has been made and then may cease search and rescue activities; and

WHEREAS, a significant portion of unresolved cases of missing persons in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System are missing beyond the seventy-two-hour timeframe; and

WHEREAS, volunteer search and rescue nonprofit organizations, such as Maui Search and Rescue, Oahu Search and Rescue, Kauai Search and Rescue, and the Search Technology Advisory Team, respond to search and rescue missions in place of a state or county agency; and

WHEREAS, the State has a duty to ensure that residents and visitors are safe while participating in outdoor activities in Hawaii; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, that the Department of Land and Natural Resources is requested to establish a Search and Rescue Division within the Department to supplement and coordinate with other government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and volunteers to improve the timeline of rescue or recovery and number of missing individuals rescued or recovered; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

DLNR; Search and Rescue Division; Establish