STAND. COM. REP. NO.  49-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2259

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Tourism, to which was referred H.B. No. 2259 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ECONOMIC LEAKAGE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to ensure the State receives the maximum benefits from its tourism industry by requiring the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to prepare a report that examines the severity of economic leakage, which is the revenue lost to foreign economies, in the State's tourism industry.

The Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association and a concerned individual supported this measure.  The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and the University of Hawaii offered comments on the measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2120, to promote further discussion.

     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 H.B. No. 2259, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2259, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Economic Development & Business.

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

____________________________

TOM BROWER, Chair