CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 55-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2010

RE:    S.B. No. 2187

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2187, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, entitled:

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

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to improve the effectiveness of the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) by:

     (1)  Authorizing the HTA to maintain confidentiality of certain sensitive information;

     (2)  Allowing information relating to marketing plans and strategies to be disclosed after the execution of the marketing plans and strategies;

     (3)  Clarifying that HTA executive meetings shall adhere to the procedures established by chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

     (4)  Requiring the HTA to include in the measure of effectiveness of its marketing plan, documentation of the progress of the marketing plan towards achieving its strategic plan goals;

     (5)  Requiring the HTA to periodically submit a report on its contracts and agreements, in conformity with HTA current practices; and

     (6)  Extending for five years the statutory provisions that exempt HTA accounts from the supervision of the Comptroller, authorize the deposit of interest and revenues from projects and project agreements into the Tourism Special Fund, and authorize HTA to use up to five percent of moneys in the Tourism Special Fund for administrative expenses and pay the Executive Director up to nine percent of the funds authorized for administrative expenses.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that this measure will enable the Hawaii Tourism Authority to respond more effectively to the challenges facing the Hawaii's tourism industry in an increasingly competitive global market.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Amending the effective date from July 1, 2020, to upon approval; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2187, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2187, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ JOEY MANAHAN, Co-Chair	____________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair
____________________________ JAMES KUNANE TOKIOKA, Co-Chair	____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Co-Chair