STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2524

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2406

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 2406 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:

(1) Require contracts entered into by the Hawaii Tourism Authority for management of the Hawaii Convention Center facility to include marketing for all uses of the facility; and

(2) Require the Hawaii Tourism Authority to submit a report.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from four individuals.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority.

Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Convention Center is important for the State's ability to host large meetings, conventions, and events. Your Committee further finds that large scale events require coordination and that including marketing for all uses of the convention center into contracts for management of the convention center will increase coordination by contractors.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

Should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it makes recommendations as to the appropriate time interval for the Hawaii Tourism Authority to submit its reports, as proposed by this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2406, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2406, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism,

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LYNN DECOITE, Chair