STAND. COM. REP. 996
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2003
RE: S.B. No. 44
S.D. 2
H.D. 1
Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Second State Legislature
Regular Session of 2003
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 44, S.D. 2, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this bill is, among other things, to:
(1) Provide further economic relief to airport concessions still suffering from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001;
(2) Allow airport concessions still suffering from those attacks but whose concession agreements are terminated due to a new concession operator, to recover their bonds and deposits and not be barred from doing business with the State for five years as provided by present law; and
(3) Require that such concessions suffering any losses and damages due to termination have no right to make any claim for damages or losses against the State.
The Airport Concessionaires Committee, Island Heritage, HMS Host, Greeters of Hawaii, Travelex Currency Services, Inc., Hawaii Intercontinental, Koneco Specialties Inc., ARK Nursery Inc., Kanoa Hawaii, Kini Po-Po Creations, Inc., APCOA/Standard Parking in Hawaii, Island Shoppers, Inc., and DFS Galleria testified in support of this bill. The Department of Transportation and Airlines Committee of Hawaii opposed the measure. The Office of Information Practices submitted comments.
Airport concessionaires have never fully recovered from the events of September 11, 2001. Continued restricted access to areas of the airport served by a majority of airport concessionaires due to increased security measures has resulted in a large loss of customers for concessionaires, which translates into lost earnings for these companies. Moreover, recent global events and the impending war in Iraq will continue to affect these concessionaires for years to come.
The economic difficulties facing these concessionaires are beyond their control, and the State should provide some economic relief to these businesses. However, your Committee also recognizes the economic crisis facing the State. Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Changing the effective date to promote further discussion; and
(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of style, clarity, and conformity.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 44, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 44, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,
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____________________________ JOSEPH M. SOUKI, Chair |