STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1643

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   S.B. No. 1167

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 1167, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to improve the management of the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) by, among other things:

     (1)  Making the private contractor operating the Hawaii Convention Center subject to the Hawaii Public Procurement Code;

     (2)  Changing the title of the Executive Director of HTA to President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and clarifying the President and CEO's duties;

     (3)  Removing the power of HTA to employ persons exempt from Chapters 76 (Civil Service) and 78 (Public Service), Hawaii Revised Statutes;

     (4)  Requiring periodic reports to the Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and President of the Senate on contracts and agreements, instead of notice about contracts or agreements valued at $25,000 or more; and

     (5)  Making permanent HTA's ability to retain its own attorneys and appoint a sports coordinator.

     HTA and the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism offered comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1167, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair