STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2571

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2431

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2431 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make permanent certain provisions of Act 58, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, relating to the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

     Specifically, the measure makes permanent:

     (1)  The Hawaii Tourism Authority's exemption from the supervision of accounts by the Comptroller;

     (2)  The Comptroller's authority to request from the Hawaii Tourism Authority information for the preparation of statements of income and expenditure by funds; and

     (3)  The Hawaii Tourism Authority's exemption from the Comptroller's review and approval of business and accounting forms.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of the measure from the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

     Your Committee finds that Act 58, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, was enacted to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the Hawaii Tourism Authority.  Your Committee believes that, by making various provisions of Act 58 permanent, this measure will allow the Authority to continue operating efficiently and to execute its financial transactions in a timely manner.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the reenactment language for sections 201B-2 and 201B-11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as unnecessary, given that the amendments made to those sections by Act 58, Session Laws of Hawaii 2004, are being made permanent by this measure;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

     (3)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2431, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2431, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair