Hawaii Senate Bill SB3155

Hawaii 2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/24/24
• Refer: 1/26/24
• Report Pass: 2/13/24
• Refer: 2/13/24

Caption

Relating To Public Land Liability.

Impact

The implications of SB3155 include the elimination of what has been described as excessive bureaucracy surrounding the approval of beach safety signage, thus indicating a shift toward a more centralized and potentially efficient process. This is intended to allow more immediate responsiveness to beach safety issues, while also assuring that the government retains liability protection regarding the safety of public beach areas. By removing the prerequisites for group consultation, the state and counties can likely act more independently and swiftly to post necessary warnings where hazards are identified.

Summary

Senate Bill 3155 relates to public land liability, particularly focusing on the regulations surrounding warning signs at public beach parks in Hawaii. This bill seeks to abolish the existing Task Force on Beach and Water Safety and a risk assessment working group that were created under previous legislation. These groups were established to guide the design and placement of warning signs intended to alert the public to dangerous ocean conditions. The bill proposes streamlining the process of how warnings are issued by delegating the design and approval of these signs to a single authority—the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources for state beach parks and the respective mayors for county beach parks.

Contention

While the intent behind SB3155 may be rooted in efficiency and the reduction of wasteful processes, the potential for contention arises regarding the adequacy of safety precautions when removing the task forces previously in place. Critics may argue that abolishing these advisory groups could lead to insufficient safety oversight and possibly expose the state to greater liability should incidents occur due to inadequate warnings being posted. This concern reflects a broader debate on the balance between regulatory efficiency and public safety, especially in areas as sensitive as ocean and beach safety.