STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2177

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2835

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2835 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LIQUOR,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) In counties of fewer than two hundred thousand residents, but more than one hundred thousand residents, exempt the three-day temporary liquor licenses for fundraising events, known as class 10 special licenses, from any requirement to obtain fire-related clearances;

(2) Allow applications for class 10 special licenses to be submitted electronically and for a single application to apply to any fundraising event that spans multiple parcels of land owned by the same entity; and

(3) Increase the percentage of fines assessed by all county liquor commissions that may be used to fund public liquor-related educational or enforcement programs.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Maui Chamber of Commerce; Big Island Brewhaus; Maui Brewing Co.; Lanikai Brewing Company LLC, dba Lanikai Spirits; and LahainaTown Action Committee.

Your Committee finds that a temporary liquor license grants the ability for nonprofit groups, political candidates, or political parties to serve alcohol at a fundraising event lasting no longer than three days. However, the system for granting temporary liquor licenses in certain regions in the State is currently overly restrictive. Some of the onerous regulations include requiring an applicant for a temporary liquor license to submit separate applications for each tax map key numbers for a single event regardless of whether that event is in a single location and prohibiting the electronic submission of an application. This measure will allow for a more accessible and equitable process for obtaining temporary liquor licenses across the State by allowing licensure to move forward without additional fire clearances, permitting electronic application submissions, and allowing one application to cover events across multiple parcels of land.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2835 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs,

________________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair