HI HB2554

Establishes a pilot Office of the State Search and Rescue Coordinator within the Governor's Office to provide centralized oversight of search and rescue operations across all Hawaii jurisdictions, addressing current fragmentation among more than a dozen federal, state, county, and volunteer agencies.

Coordinator responsibilities include assessing statewide readiness, coordinating resources among agencies (Department of Defense, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, DLNR, county police and fire departments, Coast Guard, volunteers), adopting certification standards, maintaining incident records, and coordinating training.

Creates a statewide search and rescue council with representatives from state agencies, county departments, emergency medical services, Coast Guard, and volunteers to advise on plans, training standards, and funding priorities.

Requires annual statistical reports to the legislature through 2031 covering training certifications, incident trends, county records, and expenditures, with reports to be publicly posted.

Appropriates unspecified general fund amount for fiscal year 2026-2027; pilot program effective July 1, 3000 and repeals June 30, 2031.