STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3061

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 159

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 159, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LIQUOR LICENSES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to exempt from the notarization requirement those applications which are submitted for a renewal of a liquor license.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Liquor Control; Liquor Commission of the City and County of Honolulu; Mayor of the County of Maui; Retail Merchants of Hawaii; Techmana, LLC; and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that existing law requires the notarization of initial applications as well as renewal applications for liquor licenses. According to the American Association of Notaries, a benefit of notarization, among other things, is to assure the document recipient that the signer was properly identified. Your Committee finds that, in the case of license renewal, where the licensee is already licensed, is known to a particular commission, and is in the system, it is unnecessary to re-identify the applicant. Your Committee further finds that requiring the notarization of a renewal application will hinder the four counties' efforts to switch to digital or electronic license renewal. This measure will streamline the liquor license renewal application process.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 159, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

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KARL RHOADS, Chair