STAND. COM. REP. NO. 703

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 137

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 137, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LIQUOR,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Remove the authority of the county liquor commissions to enforce the liquor tax law and require violations of the liquor tax law to be referred to the Director of Taxation for investigation;

(2) Repeal the discretionary power of the county liquor commissions to deny a license to any person the county liquor commissions find is not fit and proper to hold a license;

(3) Require applications for liquor licenses to be notarized;

(4) Provide the administrators of the county liquor commissions discretion over whether to refer applications for investigation; and

(5) Repeal the requirement that investigative reports to the county liquor commissions include whether an applicant is a fit and proper person for licensure and any and all matters that are relevant to the application or license in the judgment of the investigator.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Taxation, Liquor Commission of the City and County of Honolulu, and Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

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. 137, 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