Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Tourism & Culture, to which was referred H.B. No. 2669 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to provide for the maintenance and operational expenses of the Hawaii Convention Center by repealing the existing $31,000,000 cap on the amount of transient accommodations tax collections deposited into the Convention Center Enterprise Special Fund.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority, Outrigger Hotels, and the Hawaii Hotel & Lodging Association supported this bill. The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism supported the intent of this measure. The Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO opposed this bill. The Department of Taxation and the Tax Foundation of Hawaii submitted comments.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism & Culture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2669 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.