STAND. COM. REP. NO.  937

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   H.B. No. 681

      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 H.B. No. 681, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to require that not less than 40 percent of moneys allocated to the Tourism Special Fund from the Transient Accommodations Tax be used for tourism product development and cultural programs.

     The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, Hawaii Business Roundtable, and Hawaii Hotel & Lodging Association opposed this bill.  The Hawaii Tourism Authority and Tax Foundation of Hawaii 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 H.B. No. 681, 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