STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3814

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2563

H.D. 2

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2563, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Hawaii Tourism Authority to develop and publish, through a contract with a third party, a mobile application that includes all online applications and processes, including the collection of any applicable reservation fees, necessary to acquire any permit, license, or reservation that is needed to conduct recreational and commercial activities within the State that are regulated by, or under the jurisdiction of, a state or county agency.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Tourism Authority, Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Ocean Safety Ohana, and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that creating the mobile application supported by this measure will provide a cohesive digital platform to make the State's recreational and commercial activities more accessible to Hawaii's residents and visitors.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Hawaii Tourism Authority to study the feasibility of, and create a plan for, developing the mobile application, rather than requiring the Authority to develop the mobile application, and making conforming amendments;

(2) Requiring the Hawaii Tourism Authority to submit a report, including the Authority's plans for the mobile application and any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2025;

(3) Deleting provisions establishing a Tourism Enterprise Fund;

(4) Deleting the appropriation for the Hawaii Tourism Authority to contract for the development of the mobile application and making conforming amendments;

(5) Inserting language authorizing the Hawaii Tourism Authority to sell or lease the naming rights for the Hawaii Convention Center facility;

(6) Inserting language exempting the Hawaii Convention Center from certain requirements regarding concessions on public property;

(7) Inserting language facilitating advertising and marketing in and on the Hawaii Convention Center facility;

(8) Changing the measure's effective date from July 1, 3000, to July 1, 2024, and providing that Section 2 of the measure shall be repealed on June 1, 2025; and

(9) Making technical nonsubstantive changes for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2563, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2563, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair