STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3647

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1945

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1945, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Allocate revenue from the transient accommodations tax to the tourism special fund and appropriate funds for the Hawaii Tourism Authority and Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association to address homelessness in tourist and resort areas, subject to private matching funds; and

(2) Require the Hawaii Tourism Authority to submit a report regarding its efforts to address homelessness in tourist and resort areas.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority; Hawai‘i Health and Harm Reduction; Hawaii Youth Services Network; Catholic Charities Hawai‘i; Friends of the Children's Justice Center of East Hawaii; Adult Friends for Youth; Aloha Medical Mission; The Salvation Army, Hawaiian and Pacific Islands Division; Hope Services Hawaii; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; Mobile Munchies; Partners in Development Foundation; Making Ends Meet; Honolulu Habitat for Humanity; Friends of the Children's Justice Center of Oahu; Hawaii Foodbank; Hawaii Foodbank Kauai; Aloha Harvest; Hawaii Island HIV/AIDS Foundation; Kohala Coast Resort Association; Maui Food Bank; Keiki Cupboard; Residential Youth Services and Empowerment; St. Michael the Archangel Church; Hale Kau Kau; Corvette Center Ministries; Institute for Human Services; Kauai Independent Food Bank; Habitat for Humanity Maui, Inc.; River of Life Mission; Hawaii Chapter of the Hawai‘i Lodging and Tourism Association; Hawaii Island Home for Recovery, Inc.; and eight individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Tax Foundation of Hawaii, Ohana Christian Fellowship, and one individual.

Your Committees find that homelessness remains one of the most pressing issues of the State. While your Committees acknowledge that the number of reported homeless persons has decreased, your Committees believe that there is still much that needs to be done to create a better living environment for all residents of the State. Your Committees further find that the tourism industry is one of the economic drivers of the State and has the necessary resources to support the effort to reduce homelessness across the State. Your Committees believe that addressing tourist and resort areas that are affected by homelessness will not only assist the homeless community by providing them with improved living situations, but will simultaneously improve areas that are frequently visited by tourists, thereby improving the overall quality of the overall visitor experience and resulting economic benefit to the State.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Hawaii Tourism Authority and Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association to consult with the Hawaii Interagency Council on Homelessness prior to awarding funds for projects addressing homelessness; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1945, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1945, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism and Human Services,

________________________________ RUSSELL E. RUDERMAN, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair