STAND. COM. REP. NO. 532

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 65

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 65 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO REGENERATIVE TOURISM,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Incorporate a regenerative framework into the State Planning Act by expanding objectives and policies for the visitor industry; and

(2) Require an update to the State Tourism Functional Plan to be submitted to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2024.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, and one individual. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Maui Hotel and Lodging Association.

Your Committees find that the ethic of malama, or care and stewardship, is the core of the Hawaii Tourism Authority's visitor education and destination management efforts. Your Committees believe that regenerative tourism builds upon the malama ethic. This measure will balance the economics of tourism with the wellbeing of the State's communities and natural resources by incorporating a regenerative framework into the State Planning Act and requiring the Governor to update the State Tourism Functional Plan to be submitted to the Legislature.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 65 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Water and Land,

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

________________________________ LYNN DECOITE, Chair