STAND. COM. REP. NO.  919

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   H.C.R. No. 59

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Tourism and Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 59 entitled:

 

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY TO COORDINATE WITH THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY TO CREATE A MORE WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR CHINESE VISITORS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to facilitate the growth of the Chinese tourism market in Hawaii by urging the Hawaii Tourism Authority to coordinate with the hospitality industry to create a more welcoming environment for Chinese visitors.

 

     APEC Hawaii and a concerned individual supported this measure.  The Hawaii Tourism Authority offered comments.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Requesting Hawaii's congressional delegation to assist in recruiting and employment of a suitable workforce by taking steps to enable foreign workers with specialized knowledge in the language and culture of international visitor markets to qualify for H-1B non-immigrant visas, which provide for employment eligibility;

 

     (2)  Adding Hawaii's congressional delegation to the list of resolution recipients; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Tourism and Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 59, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Finance, in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 59, H.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Tourism and Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts,

 

 

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair

 

____________________________

TOM BROWER, Chair