STAND. COM. REP. NO. 343

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1084

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology, to which was referred S.B. No. 1084 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Require that the Governor appoint members of the Hawaii Tourism Authority Board of Directors within ninety days of receiving lists of nominees from the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives;

 

     (2)  Repeal the Hawaii Tourism Authority Board of Directors' authority to convene closed meetings for certain purposes; and

 

     (3)  Require the Hawaii Tourism Authority to submit an unredacted report of summary descriptions and planned and actual expenditures of contracts and agreements entered into by the Authority and a detailed annual budget for the Authority to the Governor and Legislature.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association, Island Air, Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter, Waikiki Improvement Association, and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Tourism Authority and the Office of Information Practices.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Tourism Authority is a vital contributor to and supporter of the State's top industry.  Since the Hawaii Tourism Authority's inception, it has been an invaluable partner to many associations and organizations in ensuring the remarkable success of tourism in the State.  Accordingly, your Committee finds that it is crucial that the appointment of members of the Board of Directors occur promptly.  Your Committee further finds it vital that the Board of Directors' meetings, proceedings, and information be transparent and accessible to the lawmakers and partners who provide oversight of the Hawaii Tourism Authority's activities and budget.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Stipulating that if the Governor receives the list of nominees for appointment to the Hawaii Tourism Authority's Board of Directors from the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives but a vacancy continues after ninety days, the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives shall alternate appointing the members;

 

     (2)  Allowing the Hawaii Tourism Authority's Board of Directors to enter into executive meetings closed to the public with stipulated exceptions;

 

     (3)  Requiring that Hawaii Tourism Authority's Board of Directors' executive meeting minutes be available to any legislator upon request;

 

     (4)  Requiring information relating to marketing plans and strategies discussed at executive meetings to be disclosed after the execution of the market plans and strategies; and

 

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1084, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1084, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary and Labor.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology,

 

 

 

________________________________

GLENN WAKAI, Chair