§115-1  Findings and purpose.  The
legislature finds that miles of shorelines, waters, and inland recreational
areas under the jurisdiction of the State are inaccessible to the public due to
the absence of public rights-of-way; that the absence of public rights-of-way
is a contributing factor to mounting acts of hostility against private
shoreline properties and properties bordering inland recreational areas; that
the population of the islands is increasing while the presently accessible
beach, shoreline, and inland recreational areas remain fixed; and that the
absence of public access to Hawaii's shorelines and inland recreational areas
constitutes an infringement upon the fundamental right of free movement in
public space and access to and use of coastal and inland recreational areas. 
The purpose of this chapter is to guarantee the right of public access to the
sea, shorelines, and inland recreational areas, and transit along the
shorelines, and to provide for the acquisition of land for the purchase and maintenance
of public rights-of-way and public transit corridors. [L 1974, c 244, §1; am L
1977, c 164, §3]