HB 1381 Summary

• Requires the legislative reference bureau to conduct a comprehensive study identifying and analyzing alternative tourism governance systems used in locations similar to Hawaii, focusing on multi-level government coordination and high-impact tourism sectors.

• Study must examine destination management organizations, inter-agency coordination approaches, stakeholder engagement methods, and revenue generation structures across comparable jurisdictions.

• Directs the bureau to solicit stakeholder input on strengths and weaknesses of Hawaii's current tourism governance system (primarily conducted by the Hawaii Tourism Authority) and synthesize three potential alternative governance systems with outlined advantages and disadvantages.

• Appropriates $750,000 for fiscal year 2023-2024 and $750,000 for fiscal year 2024-2025 to the legislative reference bureau to conduct the study, with authorization to contract consultant services exempt from procurement law.

• Requires draft report with public summary by September 1, 2024, followed by statewide public engagement period of at least two months, with final report to legislature no later than twenty days before the 2025 regular session convenes.