STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1011

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1571

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1571, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TOURISM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend provisions of law relating to the Hawaii Tourism Authority's governance, powers, and duties.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Exempts all positions within the Hawaii Tourism Authority from the State's civil service law;

(2) Provides that the powers described in section 201B-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, are granted to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, except as otherwise provided by law;

(3) Amends the definition of "convention center facility" to clarify that its facilities shall reflect a Hawaii sense of place; and

(4) Amends the eligibility requirements for service on the Hawaii Tourism Authority's Board of Directors.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

Your Committee finds that exempting positions within the Hawaii Tourism Authority from the State's civil service law will provide the Authority with more flexibility to recruit skilled professionals who are needed to perform its statutory duties.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting amendments that would have provided that the powers described in section 201B-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, are granted to the Hawaii Tourism Authority "except as otherwise provided by law"; and

(2) Deleting language that would have designated the Hawaii Tourism Authority as an advisory board.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1571, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1571, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair