Bill Text: HI HR51 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii House Resolution 51 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Requesting DBEDT To Analyze the Impacts of Internet Retail on Hawaii's Economy

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-03-28 - Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Fukumoto Chang, McDermott, Thielen, Tupola, Ward voting no (5) and Representative(s) Kong, Lowen, Matsumoto, McKelvey, Oshiro, Saiki excused (6). [HR51 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2016-HR51-Introduced.html

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	51
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

rEQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF Business, Economic development and Tourism TO CONDUCT A STUDY ANALYZING THE IMPACTS OF RETAIL ON HAWAII'S ECONOMY, WITH A FOCUS ON THE PURCHASE OF GOODS THROUGH THE INTERNET.

WHEREAS, small businesses in Hawaii make up eighty percent of Hawaii's economic landscape and many of these businesses are part of the Hawaii retail industry, therefore understanding and analyzing the impacts of retail on Hawaii is critical to the State's overall economy; and

WHEREAS, as one of the top three industries in the State, currently the largest generator of general excise tax, and an industry contributing to one in four jobs, retail has proven to be a huge part of Hawaii's economic engine; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii's retail sector is currently in the process of revolutionary change in which new forms of retailing are replacing old ones with the advance of the digital age and the introduction of various platforms in which to purchase goods; and

WHEREAS, in looking at Hawaii's two parallel retailing revolutions, one in the local consumer market and the other in the tourism sector, there is one common change that must be reviewed, which is commerce brought forth by the online marketplace; and

WHEREAS, the Internet now contributes billions of dollars each year to the economy and many states have already implemented e-fairness requirements, which allow states to tax products sold and purchased online; and

WHEREAS, an analysis of the State's retail economy, including the impact of purchases of goods on the Internet and determination of the specific amount of taxes that are lost to large online retail entities such as Amazon will assist the State's policymakers in formulating prudent economic policies in regards to the State's retail sector; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2016, that the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism is requested to conduct a study reviewing developments in the retail sector that are projected for the next five to ten years and analyzing the economic impact of retail on the State's economy and workforce, including:

(1) Current trends in tax policy related to retail sales, including the amount of tax revenue that the State loses annually to online retailers;

(2) The overall impact of gross domestic product on the State in relation to retail;

(3) An analysis of retail job activity in the State;

(4) The structure and organization of Hawaii retailing;

(5) Retail growth trends; and

(6) The Hawaii consumer profile; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and the Director of Taxation.