STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3309
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.C.R. No. 84
S.D. 1
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Twenty-Ninth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2018
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology, and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 84 entitled:
"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING EACH COUNTY TO DEVELOP AND ADMINISTER A PERMITTING SYSTEM FOR NON-PERMITTED OWNER-OCCUPIED TRANSIENT VACATION UNITS AND A LAND USE AMNESTY PROGRAM TO WAIVE OUTSTANDING LIABILITIES FOR ILLEGAL TRANSIENT VACATION UNITS THAT OBTAIN A PERMIT BY A CERTAIN DATE,"
beg leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to:
(1) Urge each county in the State to develop and administer a permitting system for non-permitted, owner-occupied transient vacation units and a land use amnesty program to waive outstanding liabilities for illegal transit vacation units; and
(2) Urge each county to publicize the permitting system and land use amnesty program to maximize public awareness and encourage participation in the program and to contract with appropriate advertising agencies to accomplish this goal.
Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Page Marketing, Inc. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from Keep It Kailua and four individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Department of Planning and Permitting, City and County of Honolulu.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority estimates that there are 2,177 transient vacation rentals in the State that are advertised online. Your Committees find that existing laws and ordinances allow transient vacation units to operate in resort districts; however, the counties are seeking options to authorize owner-occupied units outside of resort districts to continue operating as short-term rentals. A county permitting program may encourage owners of transient vacation units to register their properties for short-term rental use and comply with relevant laws and ordinances.
Your Committees note the concern raised by members of your Committees regarding the potential for a county permitting system to grant owners of unpermitted transient vocational rentals a status of government-sanctioned legality or permission. Members of your Committees offered suggestions to request the counties to establish a reporting hotline or conduct an investigation in lieu of developing a permitting system or to request the counties to grant permits only after establishing standards for issuing permits, such as criteria based on the transient vacation unit capacity of each community. Your Committees request your Committee on Ways and Means to further consider and weigh these issues and suggested options.
Your Committees have amended this measure by:
(1) Deleting language referencing the development and administration of a land use amnesty program to waive outstanding liabilities for transient vacation units; and
(2) Amending its title in accordance with its amended purpose.
As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology, and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 84, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 84, S.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology, and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health,
________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair |
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________________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair |
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________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair |