STAND. COM. REP. NO.  924-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2323

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2323, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BEACHES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to support and ensure the strength of Hawaii's visitor industry by establishing the Resort Beach Restoration Fund (Restoration Fund) as a sub-account of the existing Beach Restoration Special Fund administered by the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to provide for the development and restoration of visitor area resort beaches, including maintenance of any improvements placed on the visitor area resort beach or in nearshore waters, as determined by DLNR.

 

     The Tourism Liaison and several concerned individuals opposed this bill.  The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), DLNR, Kyo-ya Hotels and Resorts, LP., Hawaii Hotel and Lodging Association, and Tax Foundation of Hawaii submitted comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

(1)  Replacing the $2,000,000 maximum authorized transfer of transient accommodation taxes to the Restoration Fund for the period beginning July 1, 2008, to June 30, 2010, with an unspecified amount;

 

(2)  Changing the $1,000,000 appropriation to the Restoration Fund to an unspecified amount;

 

(3)  Changing the amount HTA is authorized to transfer from the Tourism Special Fund to the Restoration Fund from $1,000,000 to an unspecified amount;

 

(4)  Replacing the $1,000,000 appropriated out of the Restoration Fund for restoration projects with an unspecified amount; and

 

(5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2323, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2323, H.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair