STAND. COM. REP. NO. 10-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 2563

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Tourism, to which was referred H.B. No. 2563 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Hawaii Tourism Authority to develop and publish, through a third party, a mobile application that includes all online application processes and fee collections for reservations to conduct regulated recreational and commercial activities;

(2) Establish the Tourism Enterprise Fund;

(3) Require the Hawaii Tourism Authority to issue a request for proposals to contract for the development and publishing of the mobile application; and

(4) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority; Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association; and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Information Technology of the City and County of Honolulu and PonoRez. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that state and county agencies often require a permit, license, reservations, or fees for certain commercial and recreational uses. Despite this, your Committee notes that there is no option for a resident or visitor to access all permitting, licensing, and reservations for the various recreational and commercial activities in the State through a single mobile application. This causes confusion among residents and visitors and often results in illegal activity in the State. This measure will require the development and publishing of a single mobile application that streamlines access to necessary permits, licenses, and reservations.

Your Committee notes that this measure attempts to expand upon Act 182, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023 (Act 182), which requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to develop and publish a website and mobile application for a permit, license, or reservation, and to collect fees, for recreational or commercial activities under the jurisdiction of the Department. This measure would be a unified mobile application that will cover all recreational or commercial permits, license, reservations, or fees required throughout the State for ease of access. Your Committee will continue to work with your Committee on Water & Land, and other pertinent state and county agencies, to integrate the website and mobile application under Act 182, other existing applications, and the proposed application in this measure to ensure uniformity across the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Expanding the languages in which the mobile application shall be made available;

(2) Amending its purpose section;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Tourism,

____________________________

SEAN QUINLAN, Chair