STAND. COM. REP. NO. 59

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 130

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water and Land and Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 130 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SEARCH AND RESCUE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require government entities to seek reimbursement for all or a portion of search or rescue expenses for persons who require rescue after:

(1) Leaving a hiking trail and entering state, county, or private property that is closed to the public and is marked with a sign giving notice of the closure; or

(2) Entering a hiking trail that is closed to the public and marked with a sign giving notice of the closure.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from ten individuals.

Your Committees find that inexperienced and experienced hikers occasionally ignore posted warning signs, intentionally leave a hiking trail, or enter property that is closed to the public. While search and rescue of lost or injured persons are anticipated and part of the expected operations of first responders, when an individual chooses to ignore the warnings of government agencies or private landowners to maintain public safety, ongoing operations must be put on hold and agencies must incur additional, unbudgeted costs and expenses to find and rescue these individuals. Your Committees note that when one of these hikers needs to be rescued, it is the State that bears the burden of paying for the costs associated with the search or rescue. This measure will allow the State to offset costs associated with the search and rescue of hikers who take unnecessary risks by requiring government entities to seek reimbursement from the rescued party.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water and Land and Public Safety and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 130 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land and Public Safety and Military Affairs,

________________________________ BRANDON J.C. ELEFANTE, Chair

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair