Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Tourism and Culture and Water and Land Use, to which was referred S.B. No. 1169, S.D. 2, entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to create a link between the cost of maintaining the state park system and its use by visitors by authorizing the State Parks Special Fund (Special Fund) to receive proceeds collected from the Transient Accommodations Tax and legislative appropriations.

The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, Trust For Public Land, Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Environmental Center of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, EARTHJUSTICE Legal Defense Fund, and numerous citizens testified in support of this bill.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority supported the intent of this bill. The Hawaii Hotel Association opposed this bill

Your Committees recognize the nexus between the visitor industry and state park users. Visitors represent over half of our state park users. This bill will help fund needed upgrades, repair, and maintenance of the parks in the State.

Upon further consideration, your Committees have amended this bill by:

(1) Appropriating $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2001-2002 to

DLNR for the purpose of the Special Fund; and

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Tourism and Culture and Water and Land Use that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1169, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1169, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.