SB 986 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

RELATED TO TOURISM.

Summary

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. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Feb 12, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB986 → SB986_SD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Hawaii's tourism emergency provisions and funding allocations. It clarifies the types of events that can trigger a tourism emergency declaration and adjusts the minimum balance required in the tourism emergency special fund from $5 million to $3 million. The bill also changes the effective date of the act from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2050, which appears to be a significant clerical error that would need correction.

Scope change

The bill maintains the same scope of applying to tourism emergency declarations and fund allocations, but modifies specific thresholds and the effective date.

FISCAL

Reduced the minimum balance required in the tourism emergency special fund from $5,000,000 to $3,000,000

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the act from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2050, which is likely a clerical error

DEFINITION

Added bracketed text clarifying that tourism emergencies can be caused by world conflicts, terrorist threats, economic crises, natural disasters, disease outbreaks, or other catastrophic events that adversely affect Hawaii's tourism industry

REQUIREMENT

Modified the language regarding governor approval for emergency response measures during economic crises

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 12, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 391) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 6, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDT recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDT were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) DeCoite, Wakai, Fukunaga, Kim, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDT has scheduled a public hearing on 02-06-25 1:15PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 23, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDT, WAM.

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced.

upper

2 primary · 1 co-sponsor