STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1570-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   S.B. No. 3024

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

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 S.B. No. 3024, S.D. 2, 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 increase financial resources to support conservation and natural resource protection programs in the State.  Specifically, this measure:

(1)  Specifies that $3,000,000 of Transient Accommodations Tax revenues be allocated to the Special Land and Development Fund, of which an unspecified amount will be allocated to the Conservation and Resources Enforcement Special Fund; and

(2)  Provides that this allocation of the Transient Accommodations Tax revenues be subject to the mutual agreement of the Board of Land and Natural Resources and the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Tourism Authority in accordance with the Hawaii Tourism Authority Strategic Plan, and includes allocations to:

(A)  The Beach Restoration Special Fund;

(B)  The State Parks Special Fund;

(C)  The Hawaii Statewide Trail and Access Program; and

(D)  The Conservation and Resources Enforcement Special Fund.

The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii supported this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Tourism Authority, and Tax Foundation of Hawaii commented on this measure.

     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 S.B. No. 3024, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair