STAND. COM. REP. NO.  867-14

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2434

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2434, 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 measure is to specify that the $3,000,000 Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) revenue amount currently allocated for expenditure pursuant to agreement between the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) and the Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) for natural resources and facilities purposes in accordance with HTA's Strategic Plan shall be:

 

(1)  Deposited into the Special Land and Development Fund rather than the general fund; and

 

(2)  Distributed among the Beach Restoration Special Fund, State Parks Special Fund, Trail and Access Program, and Conservation and Resources Enforcement Special Fund for expenditure by various divisions of the Department of Land and Natural resources in accordance with the agreement between BLNR and HTA.

 

     The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Tourism Authority, The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, Outrigger Hotels Hawaii, and Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association supported this measure.  The Tax Foundation of Hawaii commented on this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

(1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, to facilitate further discussion; and

 

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     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. 2434, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2434, H.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair