Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2875, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to provide the counties with greater flexibility and control over the use of Hawaii Tourism Authority (Authority) tourism product enrichment and diversification grants.

Your Committee finds that the Authority has implemented its strategic initiative in tourism product enrichment and diversification by providing resources to community organizations to enhance Hawaii's inventory of tourism product offerings. Despite the best intentions of the Authority, the program has not been without its problems.

This bill addresses these problems by allowing the Authority to retain overall policy control of the program and by increasing the involvement of the counties as follows:

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 S.B. No. 2875, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.