RELATED TO TOURISM.

HB447

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

447

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

related
to tourism
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section 201B-9,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

����
"
�201B-9
�
Tourism emergency.
�
(a)
�
If
the board determines that the occurrence of a [
world conflict,
]
terrorist threat, [
national or global economic crisis,
] natural
disaster, outbreak of disease, or other catastrophic event adversely affects
Hawaii's tourism industry [
by resulting in a substantial interruption in the
commerce of the State and adversely affecting the welfare of its people
],
the board shall submit a request to the governor to declare that a tourism
emergency exists.

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(b)
�

Upon declaration by the governor that a tourism emergency exists
pursuant to subsection (a), the authority shall develop and implement measures
to respond to the tourism emergency, including providing assistance to tourists
during the emergency; provided that any tourism emergency response measure
implemented pursuant to this subsection shall not include any provision that
would adversely affect the organized labor force in tourism-related industries.
�
[
With respect to a national or global
economic crisis only, in addition to the governor's declaration of the
existence of a tourism emergency, no action in response to the tourism
emergency declaration may be taken by the authority without the governor's
express approval.
]
"

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SECTION
2
.
�
Section 237D-6.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

����
"(b)
�
Except for the revenues collected pursuant to
section 237D-2(e), revenues collected under this chapter shall be distributed
in the following priority, with the excess revenues to be deposited into the
general fund:

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(1)
�
$1,500,000
shall be allocated to the Turtle Bay conservation easement special fund
beginning July 1, 2015, for the reimbursement to the state general fund of debt
service on
reimbursable general obligation bonds
, including ongoing expenses related to the issuance of the
bonds, the proceeds of which were used to acquire the conservation easement and
other real property interests in Turtle Bay, Oahu, for the protection,
preservation, and enhancement of natural resources important to the State,
until the bonds are fully amortized;

����
(2)
�
$11,000,000 shall
be allocated to the convention center enterprise special fund established under
section 201B-8;

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(3)
�
An allocation
shall be deposited into the tourism emergency special fund, established in
section 201B-10, in a manner sufficient to maintain a fund balance of [
$5,000,000
]

$3,000,000
in the tourism emergency special fund; and

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(4)
�
$3,000,000
shall be allocated to the special land and development fund established under
section 171-19; provided that the allocation shall be expended in accordance
with the Hawaii tourism authority strategic plan for:

���������
(A)
�
The protection,
preservation, maintenance, and enhancement of natural resources, including
beaches, important to the visitor industry;

���������
(B)
�
Planning
,
construction, and repair of facilities; and

���������
(C)
�
Operation
and
maintenance costs of public lands, including beaches,
connected
with enhancing the visitor experience.

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All transient accommodations taxes
shall be paid into the state treasury each month within ten days after
collection and shall be kept by the state director of finance in special
accounts for distribution as provided in this subsection."

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SECTION
3.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

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SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Hawaii
Tourism Authority; Governor; Tourism Emergency; Tourism Emergency Special Fund;
Transient Accommodations Tax Revenues

Description:

Amends
the types of occurrences for which the Hawaii Tourism Authority Board of
Directors may request the Governor to declare a tourism emergency.
�
Reduces the minimum balance to be maintained in
the
Tourism Emergency Special Fund
through an allocation of transient accommodations tax revenues.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.