STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1678-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   S.B. No. 2673

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred S.B. No. 2673, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRAVEL AGENCIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require travel agencies that sell activities to register as an activity desk.

The Activities and Attractions Association of Hawaii provided testimony in support of this measure.  The Travel Agency Program of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs provided comments on the measure.

     Your Committee finds that when chapter 468L, Hawaii Revised Statutes, was enacted in 1991, travel agencies were not regulated with regard to the sale of activities.  However, when that chapter was enacted, the visitor and activities industry was evolving tremendously.  Today, the sale of activities through travel websites has increased significantly, but the protections and regulations pertaining to the sale of activities offered by chapter 468L, Hawaii Revised Statutes, do not necessarily apply to travel agencies and the websites run by travel agencies.  Your Committee finds that registration of travel agencies who sell activities is important to ensure consumer protection.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2112, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2673, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2673, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair