Lawmakers defer bill repealing Hawaii Tourism Authority

Senate and House conferees today deferred a bill that could have repealed the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

House Bill 1375, introduced by Rep. Sean Quinlan (D, Waialua-­Kahuku-Waiahole) along with other House members, could have repealed the HTA in favor of establishing an Office of Tourism and Destination Management within the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. The change could have taken place as early as July 1, and the new agency would have been governed by a nine-member board and an executive director.

Today’s decision by lawmakers, however, is still likely to result in significant changes to HTA. The deferral potentially leaves HTA and the Hawai’i Convention Center without funding this year as their operational budgets were left out of the final version of a state budget bill earlier this week.

Lawmakers put $64 million into the state budget measure, House Bill 300 CDI, to fix the leaky roof at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. However, failing to fund HTA also could affect the operating budget of the Hawai‘i Convention Center, which typically gets an annual allotment of $4 million to $4.5 million from HTA’s $60 million budget.

HB 1375 was considered the most viable of the remaining options to fund the HTA and the center. Another possible, but perhaps unlikely, funding option for HTA and the Hawai‘i Convention Center is Senate Bill 629, which is slated to be heard at 4:45 p.m. today in Room 225 when a conference committee reconvenes.

SB 629, introduced by Sen. Donna Mercado Kim (D-Kalihi Valley­-Moanalua-­ Halawa) and other senators, would require contracts entered into by the Hawaii Tourism Authority for management of the Hawai‘i Convention Center facility to include marketing for all uses of the facility.

HTA had requested a $75 million budget for this year and a $60 million budget for next year.