STAND. COM. REP. NO 522

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1368

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1368 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LIQUOR,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to prohibit the sale of liquor at street closure events, except under certain conditions.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Liquor Commission of the City and County of Honolulu and two individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawaii Bar Owners Association and two individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Chinatown Business and Community Association and one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that street closure events, often funded by the sale of liquor, have increased in size and popularity, greatly affecting residents and businesses.  While the events bring in more visitors and revenue, there is concern over the disruptions caused by noise and crowd behavior.  Implementation of this measure will further public safety and provide a community-friendly solution to the issues associated with street closure events.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Eliminating the prohibition on liquor sales sold pursuant to a special license;

 

     (2)  Eliminating the requirement that vendors use licensed servers;

 

     (3)  Eliminating the requirement that the Liquor Commission monitor an event with a sufficient number of inspectors and only requiring the Liquor Commission to monitor an event; and

 

     (4)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1368, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1368, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair