Bill Text: HI HB2044 | 2018 | Regular Session | Amended

Hawaii House Bill 2044 (Prior Session Legislation)

HI State Legislature page for HB2044

Bill Title: Relating To Kekaha Kai State Park.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2018-03-23 - Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. [HB2044 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2018-HB2044-Amended.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2044
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII		S.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO KEKAHA KAI STATE PARK.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that ocean safety officers act as the primary responders for emergencies on shorelines and within nearshore waters, where the majority of ocean recreation activity takes place. Ocean safety officers also provide injury control and dispatch ocean rescue services. The legislature also finds that although Manini�ōwali beach at Kua bay in the Kekaha Kai state park in North Kona on the island of Hawaii is under the jurisdiction of the department of land and natural resources, the State currently does not employ its own ocean safety officers at Manini�ōwali beach at Kua bay.

The legislature further finds that the location of Manini�ōwali beach at Kua bay between Kona and the resorts of the Kohala Coast and the improvements, such as a paved road and comfort station, made to Kekaha Kai state park have led to an increase in visits by locals and tourists, making Manini�ōwali beach at Kua bay one of the most popular beaches in the State. The increase in visitation has been accompanied by an increase in dangerous incidents, injuries, and deaths, which could be mitigated by employing ocean safety officers for Manini�ōwali beach at Kua bay.

From 2013 to 2016, emergency medical service patient care reported twenty-eight calls from the Kua bay area, fourteen of which occurred in 2016 alone, and nineteen of which resulted in hospitalization for a traumatic injury. Additionally, the Hawaii Trauma Registry reports that there were seven spinal cord injuries from 2009 to 2013. According to the department of health's emergency medical services and injury prevention system branch's GIS database of fatal drownings, three people have drowned in the Kua bay area since 2013.

The purpose of this Act is to save lives and prevent injury at Manini�ōwali beach at Kua bay in the Kekaha Kai state park by appropriating funds for the employment of ocean safety officers and for necessary equipment.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $340,355 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 for the department of land and natural resources to establish four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) permanent ocean safety officers for Manini�ōwali beach at Kua bay in the Kekaha Kai state park on the island of Hawaii; provided that the county of Hawaii shall hire and provide benefits for the four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) permanent ocean safety officer positions established pursuant to this Act.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $80,000 so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 for the department of land and natural resources to purchase equipment to be used by state ocean safety officers in the course of their work at Manini�ōwali beach at Kua bay in the Kekaha Kai state park on the island of Hawaii; provided that the sum appropriated shall be expended as follows:

(1) $60,000 for one lifeguard tower;

(2) $8,000 for one all-terrain vehicle;

(3) $8,000 for radios;

(4) $3,000 for rescue equipment; and

(5) $1,000 for protective equipment.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2018.

Report Title:

Manini�ōwali Beach; Kua Bay; Kekaha Kai State Park; Ocean Safety Officers; Equipment; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds to establish four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) state ocean safety officers at Manini�ōwali Beach at Kua Bay in the Kekaha Kai State Park and to purchase ocean safety officer equipment. (SD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.