STAND. COM. REP. NO. 25

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 446

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Tourism, to which was referred H.B. No. 446 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO A STATE HOTEL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Hawaii Tourism Authority and School of Travel Industry Management at the University of Hawaii at Manoa to collaborate to actively plan for the design, construction, and operations and management of a state hotel.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, School of Travel Industry Management at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and Hawaiʻi Lodging & Tourism Association.

Your Committee finds that a state hotel could create workforce development opportunities for local residents and better allow the State to promote regenerative tourism for visitors.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Hawaii Tourism Authority and School of Travel Industry Management at the University of Hawaii at Manoa to jointly perform a study, rather than actively plan, for the design, construction or purchase, and operations and management of a state hotel;

(2) Requiring a report on the study to be submitted to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2027;

(3) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it choose to deliberate on this measure, to consider appropriating $150,000 for the study.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 446, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 446, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Higher Education.

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

____________________________

ADRIAN K. TAM, Chair