STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2694

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2915

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 Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 2915 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LIFEGUARD SERVICES AT STATE PARK BEACHES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to allocate a portion of the transient accommodations tax revenues to the Department of Land and Natural Resources to cover lifeguard service expenses incurred at state park beaches.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Honolulu Emergency Services Department, Department of Fire and Public Safety of the County of Maui, Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawai‘i Fire Department, and three individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Kohala Coast Resort Association.

Your Committees find that the tourism industry in Hawaii continues to grow, as visitor interest in Hawaii have surpassed previous records. In 2019, the State saw over ten million visitors for the first time in Hawaii's history. Despite the significant increase in visitors, funding for safeguard measures, such as lifeguards and life-saving equipment for state beach parks remain insufficient to provide the necessary protection for residents and visitors of the State. The significant increase in visitors require better safeguards to not only protect Hawaii's cultural and natural resources, but its residents and visitors as well. Your Committees believe that as a large recipient of the revenues from the tourism industry, the transient accommodations tax will provide necessary increases in funding for safeguard measures around the State, thereby ensuring the protection of residents and visitors of the State.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an appropriation of $5,000,000 from the state parks special fund for lifeguard services at state beach parks; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments 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 Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2915, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2915, 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 Water and Land,

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair

________________________________ GLENN WAKAI, Chair