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SR 117

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO INCORPORATE INTO THEIR ASSESSMENT PROCESS THE POSSESSION OR ACTIVE SEEKING OF DAM LIABILITY INSURANCE BY PRIVATE DAM OWNERS.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Stanley Chang and 5 co-sponsors

Hawaii requests DLNR factor private dam owners' liability insurance status into safety assessments to ensure financial accountability for potential damages.

Referred to WLA.
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Bill Summary · SR 117

Legislative bill overview

SR 117 requests that Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) incorporate dam liability insurance status into their assessment process for private dam owners. The bill asks DLNR to consider whether private dam owners possess or are actively seeking liability insurance when evaluating dam safety and regulatory compliance.

Why is this important

Dam failures can cause catastrophic flooding, property damage, and loss of life, making owner financial accountability critical. By factoring insurance status into assessments, Hawaii could incentivize private dam owners to maintain adequate liability coverage and ensure compensation mechanisms exist for damages—addressing a gap where dam failures might leave victims with limited recourse if owners lack resources to cover losses.

Potential points of contention

  • Regulatory scope creep: Questions about whether DLNR's primary safety mission should be intertwined with financial/insurance requirements, or if this blurs into insurance regulation
  • Market impacts on dam operations: Private dam owners may face higher compliance costs or insurance premiums if insurance status becomes part of regulatory assessment, potentially affecting operations or agricultural interests
  • Insurance availability and affordability: Dam liability insurance may be expensive or unavailable in Hawaii's market, making the requirement impractical without first addressing insurance industry capacity
  • Enforcement mechanism unclear: The bill doesn't specify how DLNR should use this information (penalties, licensing conditions, mandatory upgrades, etc.), leaving implementation vague

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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