Report Title:

Hawaii Tourism Authority; Appointment of Board Members

Description:

Removes from the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) Board the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, Director of Transportation, Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, and Executive Director of the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, and places them in an advisory group to HTA.  (HB754 HD1)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	754
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO THE HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  Section 201B-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (b), (c), (d), and (e) to read as follows:

     "(b) The authority shall be headed by a policy-making board of directors [which] that consists of twelve [public, voting] members[, and four ex officio nonvoting members]; provided that:

     (1)  [Twelve public, voting] The members shall be appointed by the governor as provided in section 26-34, except as otherwise provided by law;

     (2)  The [twelve public, voting] members shall be composed of at least one representative each from the city and county of Honolulu and the counties of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui; the remaining [public] members shall be appointed at-large;

     (3) [Of the twelve public, voting members, three] Three members shall be appointed by the governor from a list of three names submitted for each appointment by the president of the senate, and three shall be appointed by the governor from a list of three names submitted for each appointment by the speaker of the house of representatives; provided that if fewer than three names are submitted for each appointment, the governor may disregard the list;

     (4)  At least six [of the twelve public, voting] members shall have knowledge, experience, and expertise in the area of visitor industry management, marketing, promotion, transportation, retail, entertainment, or visitor attractions, and at least one shall have knowledge, experience, and expertise in the area of Hawaiian cultural practices; provided that no more than three members shall represent, be employed by, or be under contract to any sector of the industry represented on the board;

     (5)  The governor shall make appointments to ensure the fulfillment of all requirements; provided that any appointments made after July 1, 2002, shall be made to fulfill the requirements in place when the appointments are made; and

    [(6) The director of business, economic development, and tourism, or a designated representative, shall be an ex officio nonvoting member;

(7) The director of transportation, or a designated representative, shall be an ex officio nonvoting member;

(8) The chairperson of the board of land and natural resources, or a designated representative, shall be an ex officio nonvoting member;

(9) The executive director of the state foundation on culture and the arts, or a designated representative, shall be an ex officio nonvoting member; and

(10)] (6)  No person who has served as a member of the board of directors of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau shall be eligible to sit as a [public, voting] member of the board of directors of the Hawaii tourism authority until at least two years have expired between the person's termination from service on the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau board and the person's appointment to the authority's board of directors.

     (c)  [The public members] Members shall be appointed by the governor for terms of four years.  Each [public] member shall hold office until the member's successor is appointed and qualified.  Section 26-34 shall be applicable insofar as it relates to the number of terms and consecutive number of years a member may serve on the board.

     (d) The board shall elect a chairperson from among the [voting] members.  [The director of business, economic development, and tourism or the designated representative shall not be chairperson of the board.]

     (e) Seven [voting] members shall constitute a quorum and a minimum of seven affirmative votes shall be necessary for all actions by the authority.  The members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including traveling expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties."

     SECTION 2.  Section 201B-13, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "[[]§201B-13[]]  Assistance by state and county agencies[.]; advisory group. (a)  Any state or county agency may render services upon request of the authority.

(b)  The authority shall establish an advisory group, which shall include the director of business, economic development, and tourism, director of transportation, chairperson of the board of land and natural resources, and executive director of the state foundation on culture and the arts to advise the authority on matters relating to their respective departments or agency in the preparation and execution of:

(1) Measures to respond to tourism emergencies pursuant to section 201B-9;

(2) Programs for the management, improvement, and protection of Hawaii's natural environment and other areas frequented by visitors;

(3) Measures to address issues affecting airlines, air routes, and barriers to travel to Hawaii; and

(4) Programs to perpetuate the cultures of Hawaii and engage local communities to sustain and preserve the native Hawaiian culture."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2112.