STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1653

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   S.B. No. 284

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 284, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to protect and preserve important natural resources in the State by:

 

     (1)  Assisting in the acquisition of a conservation easement in Turtle Bay, Oahu; provided that there is a contract to acquire the Turtle Bay conservation easement by December 31, 2015.  Among other things, this measure:

 

          (A)  Allocates transient accommodations tax (TAT) revenues to the Turtle Bay conservation easement special fund;

 

          (B)  Authorizes the Department of Budget and Finance to issue reimbursable general obligation bonds, the proceeds of which will be used to acquire the conservation easement;

 

          (C)  Requires the Department of Budget and Finance to transfer the conservation easement to the Department of Land and Natural Resources; and

 

          (D)  Annually allocates TAT revenues to the Department of Budget and Finance to reimburse the general fund regarding the reimbursable general obligation bonds; and

 

     (2)  Requiring the Office of Planning to investigate the possible acquisition or exchange of lands owned by Dole Food Company, Inc. for agricultural production.  

 

     The Agribusiness Development Corporation; The Trust for Public Land; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; Pacific Resource Partnership; Hawaii Farm Bureau; Defend Oahu Coalition; Hawaii Construction Alliance; CountyTalkStory.com; North Shore Community Land Trust; Free Access Coalition; Hawaii Agricultural Research Center; Turtle Bay Resort, LLC; Koolaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club; Koolau Foundation; Y. Hata & Company, Ltd.; Windward Ahupuaa Alliance; Surfrider Foundation; and many individuals provided testimony in support of this measure.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Department of Budget and Finance, Department of Agriculture, State-County Functions Working Group, Tax Foundation of Hawaii, and a concerned individual provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the references to the transient accommodations tax revenues to an unspecified funding source.

 

     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 S.B. No. 284, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 284, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair