(a) An owner of a cave who either directly or indirectly invites or permits without charge any person to use the cave for educational, native Hawaiian cultural, or scientific purposes does not:

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Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 6D-9

  • Cave: means any naturally occurring void, cavity, recess, or system of interconnected passages large enough for human entry, occurring beneath the surface of the earth or within a cliff or ledge, including the cave resources therein, whether or not an entrance exists or is natural or artificial, and that is of archaeological, geological, biological, or cultural significance. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 6D-1
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Owner: means the persons who hold title to or are in possession of the land on or under which a cave is located, or the persons' lessee or agent. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 6D-1
  • Scientific purposes: means research, or exploration, or both, conducted by persons affiliated with recognized scientific organizations with the intent to advance knowledge and to publish the results of exploration or research in an appropriate medium. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 6D-1
(1) Extend any assurance that the premises are safe for any purpose;
(2) Confer upon the person the legal status of an invitee or licensee to whom a duty of care is owed;
(3) Assume responsibility for, or incur liability for, any injury to person or property caused by an act of omission or commission of those persons; or
(4) Assume responsibility for, or incur liability for, any injury to any person or persons who enter the premises in response to an injured educational, native Hawaiian cultural, or scientific user.
(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to:

(1) Create a duty of care or ground of liability for injury to persons or property; or
(2) Relieve any person using the cave of another for educational, native Hawaiian cultural, or scientific purposes from any obligation which the person may have in the absence of this section to exercise care in the person’s use of that cave and in the person’s activities therein, or from the legal consequences of failure to employ such care; or
(3) Limit the effect of chapter 520.
(c) Nothing in this section limits in any way any liability which otherwise exists:

(1) For wilful or malicious failure to guard or warn against a dangerous condition, use, or structure which the owner knowingly creates or perpetuates and for wilful or malicious failure to guard or warn against a dangerous activity which the owner knowingly pursues or perpetuates; and
(2) For injury suffered in any case where the owner of a cave charges a fee to any person who enters or uses the cave for educational, native Hawaiian cultural, or scientific purposes, except that in the case of land leased to the State or a political subdivision thereof, any consideration received by the owner for such lease shall not be deemed a charge within the meaning of this section.
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