STAND. COM. REP. NO.  881

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 825

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 825, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to regulate transient vacation rentals by establishing licensing requirements and enforcement provisions for transient vacation rentals under the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority and Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association provided testimony in support of this measure.  Two Palms Properties; SunQuest Vacations; Hawaiian Haven, LLC; Timberline Land Co. Hawaii, LLC; Bridges to Paradise Rentals Inc.; King Realty; South Kohala Management; Rental By Owner Awareness Association; Honua Kai 415, LLC; Condominium Rentals Hawaii; Kauai Island Vacations; Hawaii Association of Vacation Rental Mangers; Hawai‘i Association of Realtors; Cienga Ventures; and numerous individuals provided testimony in opposition.  The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Department of Taxation, Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii Government Employees Association, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, and many individuals provided comments.

     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. 825, 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