STAND. COM. REP. NO.  486

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2023

 

RE:   H.B. No. 159

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 159 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to repeal the notarization requirement for new, renewal, and transfer applications of liquor licenses.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Liquor Control and Liquor Commission of the County of Hawai‘i, Craft ‘Ohana, Lanikai Brewing Company, Honolulu BeerWorks, Big Island Brewhaus LLC, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Honolulu Liquor Commission.

 

     Your Committee finds that it is reasonable to get assurances represented by a notarized signature when an individual or entity is making an initial liquor license application or seeks to transfer the liquor license to an applicant.  However, your Committee further finds that a notarization requirement serves no further purposes in the case of a licensee renewing the liquor license as the individual or entity is already known to the county liquor commission.

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Specifying that the notarization requirement does not apply to renewals of a liquor license and retaining this requirement for new or transfer applications;

 

     (2)  Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 159, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 159, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair