Bill Text: HI HB937 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Tourism Economic District in Waikiki; Task force

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-01-31 - (H) The committee(s) recommends that the measure be deferred. [HB937 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2011-HB937-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	937
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

Relating to tourism.

 

 

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

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that tourism is the economic engine that drives the State's economy.  Hawaii relies greatly upon the revenues generated by tourism and the vibrant economic activity that it stimulates.  The State is able to do this in large part because it holds the competitive advantage of being blessed with many natural attributes that make the islands an attractive visitor destination.  However, the visitor industry is an extremely competitive one and the State, through both the public and private sectors, needs to work to maintain and enhance Hawaii's current competitive advantage.  This means not only maintaining current infrastructure, but also upgrading and developing new infrastructure to create a visitor-friendly environment.  The Waikiki area on Oahu exemplifies both the attraction an area has for visitors and the need to maintain and upgrade the visitor experience.

     The purpose of this Act is to create a task force to investigate the development of a tourism economic district in an area such as Waikiki in which the public and private sectors and the state and county governments and agencies can explore ways to revitalize a district in a preeminent visitor destination in a cooperative and creative way.

     SECTION 2.  Tourism economic district in Waikiki; task force; membership; duties; report; termination.  (a)  There is created the temporary tourism economic district task force, to be placed within the department of business, economic development, and tourism, for administrative purposes.  The task force shall convene no later than thirty days after the effective date of this Act and shall consist of members representing:

     (1)  The department of business, economic development, and tourism;

     (2)  The Hawaii tourism authority;

     (3)  The governor's office;

     (4)  The office of the mayor of the city and county of Honolulu;

     (5)  The council of the city and county of Honolulu;

     (6)  The chairpersons, or their designees, of the legislative standing committees overseeing tourism affairs in the senate and the house of representatives, respectively;

     (7)  The Waikiki Improvement Association;

     (8)  The Waikiki neighborhood board;

     (9)  Visitor industry businesses or associations; and

    (10)  The general public.

The task force shall elect from among its members a chairperson and any other officers it deems necessary.  Members shall not be compensated but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses, including travel expenses, incurred in the conduct of their duties.

     (b)  The task force shall convene its initial meeting no later than twenty days after the governor has appointed all the members of the task force.  The task force shall investigate the following:

     (1)  Identify, define the boundaries of, and designate one particular district within the Waikiki area on Oahu to be the tourism economic district;

     (2)  Determine the ideal components and their interrelationships within the tourism economic district in terms of:

          (A)  Infrastructure;

          (B)  Density and carrying capacity;

          (C)  Land use, such as:

     (i)   Residential;

    (ii)   Business or commercial;

   (iii)   Recreational; and

    (iv)   Other uses;

     and

         (D)  Any other components;

          and

     (3)  Determine the actions, including fast-tracking zoning approvals, use of tax incentives, and other actions that are necessary for the public and private sectors to take to create this tourism economic district.

     (c)  The task force shall submit a final written report to the governor, the legislature, and the mayor and city council of the city and county of Honolulu, no later than December 31, 2011, detailing its findings and recommendations, including any necessary proposed legislation.  The task force shall terminate on June 30, 2012.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $        or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2011-2012 for the purposes of this Act.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of business, economic development, and tourism for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2011.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Tourism Economic District in Waikiki; Task force

 

Description:

Creates temporary tourism economic district task force to study ways to revitalize a specific area of Waikiki, including issues of fast-track zoning, infrastructure development, mixed land use, and the use of tax incentives.  Report by December 31, 2011.  Terminates on June 30, 2012.

 

 

 

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