STAND. COM. REP. NO.  328

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

 

RE:   H.B. No. 575

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Tourism & Culture and Public Safety & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 575 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCIES,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to enhance the safety and welfare of visitors and residents in Hawaii by:

 

     (1)  Requiring the Board of Directors (Board) of the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) to request the Governor to declare that a tourism emergency exists if the Board of HTA determines that an adverse effect on Hawaii's tourism industry resulting from world conflict, terrorist threat, natural disaster, or disease outbreak may result in a substantial interruption of commerce in Hawaii and adversely affect the welfare of the people;

 

     (2)  Upon the Governor's declaration that a tourism emergency exists, allowing HTA to implement measures to respond to the emergency;

 

     (3)  Establishing the Tourism Emergency Trust Fund (Trust Fund) to provide for the implementation of emergency measures to respond to the tourism emergency; and

 

     (4)  Specifying that, except for funds authorized for expenditure by the Legislature, funds in the Tourism Special Fund shall be deposited into the Trust Fund to maintain the balance of $5,000,000.

 

     The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, HTA, Hawaii Hotel & Lodging Association, and The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii supported this bill.

 

     Your Committees believe that this measure contains important mechanisms, including funding, to protect our visitors and our residents in the event of natural disasters, terrorist threats, and other emergencies.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Changing its effective date to January 1, 2025, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style, clarity, and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Tourism & Culture and Public Safety & Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 575, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 575, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Tourism & Culture and Public Safety & Military Affairs,

 

 

____________________________

CINDY EVANS, Chair

 

____________________________

RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair