STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1366

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 159

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 159, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LIQUOR LICENSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to exempt renewals of liquor licenses from the application notarization requirement.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Liquor Commission of the City and County of Honolulu, Department of Liquor Control of the County of Kauai, Retail Merchants of Hawaii, Craft ‘Ohana, Kauai Beer Company, Big Island Brewhaus LLC, Honolulu Beerworks, Waikiki Brewing Company, Maui Chamber of Commerce, and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that existing law requires initial reapplications for liquor licenses to be notarized. Your Committee finds that once a licensee has been approved, it is unnecessary to require notarization on a license renewal application when the licensee is already licensed. However, existing law also requires licensees to notarize license renewal applications. Your Committee finds that this requirement is not only unnecessary, but also hinders the counties' efforts to switch to electronic license renewals. This measure removes the notarization requirement for liquor license renewals, thus streamlining the application process.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making it effective upon its approval.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 159, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 159, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

________________________________

JARRETT KEOHOKALOLE, Chair