THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

168

THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO HELICOPTERS.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that helicopter crashes and resulting deaths continue to be a matter of public concern in Hawaii.  There have been at least eighteen civilian helicopter crashes in Hawaii since 2015, occurring on Oahu, Hawaii island, Kauai, and Molokai.

     Hawaii residents are not only concerned with the dangers associated with helicopter crashes, such as the December 2019 crash on Kauai or the April 2019 crash on a residential street in Kailua, but also with issues related to helicopter noise, frequency, and altitude.  These concerns related to helicopters in Hawaii remain largely unresolved.  The legislature believes that requiring commercial helicopter owners and operators to report basic details of helicopter flights will help provide necessary information to stakeholders and community members in order to find a meaningful resolution to this area of concern.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Require commercial helicopter owners and operators to submit to the department of transportation monthly reports that contain basic helicopter flight information; and

     (2)  Require the department of transportation to post to the department's website the foregoing reports and monthly reports on helicopter complaints.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 261, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§261‑     Reporting of commercial helicopter flights; reports of complaints on helicopters.  (a)  For each helicopter subject to this chapter, the owner or operator of that helicopter shall submit to the department a report that includes details of each flight the helicopter made for commercial purposes during the preceding calendar month.

     (b)  The report shall include, regarding each flight made for commercial purposes:

     (1)  The date and time that the helicopter took off and landed;

     (2)  The number of individuals in the helicopter during the flight;

     (3)  The flight path, including altitudes, from take-off through landing; and

     (4)  Whether the helicopter deviated from its flight plan, including an explanation for the deviation.

     (c)  The report required pursuant to this section shall be submitted to the department no later than 4:30 p.m. on the fifteenth day of the month following the month for which the report is required.

     (d)  The department shall post to the department's website:

     (1)  Each report required under this section within one week of the department's receipt of the report from a helicopter owner or operator; and

     (2)  Monthly reports on the number of novel public complaints, by region as identified by the complainant, received by the department regarding helicopters each month.

     (e)  The failure to submit a report to the department pursuant to subsection (a) shall constitute a violation of this chapter, and the owner or operator of the helicopter shall be subject to the penalties established pursuant to section 261‑21."

     SECTION 3.  This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

     SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Helicopters; Commercial Flights; Complaints; Reporting; DOT

 

Description:

Requires commercial helicopter owners and operators to submit reports to the Department of Transportation about basic helicopter flight information.  Requires the Department of Transportation to post reports regarding helicopters to its website.

 

 

 

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