STAND. COM. REP. NO. 90

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 271

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 271 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TOURISM EMERGENCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to ensure that tourism-related industries are able to appropriately respond to a national or global economic crisis that adversely impacts the tourism industry.

Specifically, this measure includes a national or global economic crisis to situations considered a tourism emergency.  The measure further requires that, with regards to a national or global economic crisis only, and in addition to the Governor's declaration of the existence of a tourism emergency, no action may be taken by the Hawaii Tourism Authority without the Governor's express approval.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the Hawaii Hotel and Lodging Association, and Outrigger Hotels.  Copies of written testimony are available for review on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that the current economic crisis is adversely affecting the State's tourism industry and economy, causing high rates of unemployment specifically within the tourism industry.  Your Committee finds that authorizing access to the tourism emergency fund for this purpose will help attract visitors to the State and keep residents of Hawaii employed.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 271, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 271, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair