STAND. COM. REP. NO.  540

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1763

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Tourism, Culture, & International Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1763 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to abolish the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) and establish a Department of Tourism.

 

     HTA, the Hawaii Hotel and Lodging Association, and Outrigger Hotels opposed this bill.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) provided comments.

 

     Your Committee recognizes that time should be allowed for a transition from HTA to the newly established Department of Tourism.  Your Committee notes that an interagency working group should be formed to facilitate a smooth transition and concurs that the final form of this measure should allow for such a transition.

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2112, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism, Culture, & International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1763, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1763, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Tourism, Culture, & International Affairs,

 

 

		____________________________ JOEY MANAHAN, Chair