Bill Text: HI SR194 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii Senate Resolution 194

Introduced

Bill Title: Requesting The Department Of Land And Natural Resources To Conduct A Feasibility Study To Assess Reasonable Accommodations For Beach Access For Persons With Disabilities.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Passed) 2024-04-04 - Report and Resolution Adopted. [SR194 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2024-SR194-Introduced.html

THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	194
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

REQUESTING the department of land and natural resources to conduct a feasibility study to assess reasonable accommodations for beach access for persons with disabilities.

WHEREAS, the State is known worldwide for its beaches and is committed to offering beach access to all visitors; and

WHEREAS, beach access for persons with disabilities, including veterans, is extremely limited, especially for those in wheelchairs; and

WHEREAS, although there is beach wheelchair access at certain beaches in the State, they are not available at most; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate 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 conduct a feasibility study to assess the provision and maintenance of reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities to access the shoreline of any beach that has a public restroom within an ocean recreation management area; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study is requested to consider factors, including but not limited to:

(1) The topography and physical characteristics of each beach transit corridor;

(2) The county that maintains each beach transit corridor;

(3) Reasonable accommodations that comply with 28 C.F.R. parts 35 and 36 and chapter 489, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

(4) Administrative rules necessary for the provision and maintenance of reasonable accommodations pursuant to paragraph (3); and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Land and Natural Resources is requested to submit a report on the feasibility study twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2025; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that for the purposes of this Resolution:

(1) "Beach transit corridor" has the same meaning as defined in section 115-5(a), Hawaii Revised Statues;

(2) "Disability" has the same meaning as defined section 489-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

(3) "Ocean Recreation Management Area" means all ocean waters and navigable streams within certain boundaries designated by the Department pursuant to chapter 200, Hawaii Revised Statutes; 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.