2015 Legisla ve Session - Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association
Transcription
2015 Legisla ve Session - Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association
2015 Legislave Session Aloha! The 2015 Hawaii State Legislave Session began on Wednesday, January 21st. Over 2700 bills were introduced in both the House and the Senate. The Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Associaon reviewed every bill and priorized those that would either negavely or posively affect your business. During the summer of 2014, we witnessed a changing landscape in our State’s government. Former Senator David Ige was elected to Governor bringing with him, former Hawai'i Tourism Authority President and CEO, Mike McCartney, as his Chief of Staff. In the Legislature, Senator Donna Kim retained her posion as Senate President and Representave Joseph Souki retained his seat as Speaker of the House. Senator Jill Tokuda and Senator Ron Kouchi was appointed to Chair and Vice Chair, respecvely, of the Senate Commi:ee on Ways and Means. Representave Tom Brower and Representave Takashi Ohno served this session as the Chair and Vice Chair, respecvely, of the House Commi:ee on Tourism. Senator Gilbert Kahele and Senator J. Kalani English served this session as the Chair and Vice Chair, respecvely, of the Senate commi:ee on Tourism and Internaonal Affairs. Representave Sylvia Luke and Representave Sco: Nishimoto, served as the Chair and Vice Chairs, respecvely, of the House Commi:ee on Finance. At the end of the 2015 session the State of Hawai'i once again witnessed a shi= in power, Senator Ronald Kouchi took over as President of the Senate and named Will Espero as Vice President of the Senate, J. Kalani English as Majority Leader, Josh Green as Majority Floor Leader, Brickwood Galuteria as Majority Caucus Leader and Donovan Dela Cruz as Majority Whip. The following page contains a summary of some of the top issues that came up during Session. Mahalo & Aloha, George D. Szige President & CEO AH&LA (Naonal) PRIORITY ISSUES BRAND USA: Congress has recently agreed to extend a program that is quite crical to our industry, known as BRAND USA, for an extended 5 year period. BRAND USA is our naon’s desnaon markeng organizaon, a public-private partnership designed at increasing internaonal travel to the United States. SHORT TERM ONLINE RENTAL MARKET (S.T.O.R.M.): This is an issue that is being addressed across the naon. The main goals looking to be achieved are to collect due taxes from the VRBO’s (establishing parity), ensure safety for visitors, neighbors and community members alike, establish rules and regulaons that abide county ordinances, establish and monitor a registered lisng of VRBO’s, and to properly disclose all proper informaon to the public through online posngs such as registraon, TAX numbers, and informaon that ensures consumer protecon and transparency. • Currently these States are making a big push for legislaon: Hawai'i, California, New York, Georgia, Maine, Florida, Texas, Rhode Island, Massachuse:s, Montana, and Tennessee (among others). In total over 70 cies and counes are currently looking at ways to address the proliferaon and regulaon issues surrounding short term online rentals. ONLINE TRAVEL AGENCY LITIGATION : This year the Hawai'i Supreme Court came to a decision on the ligaon surrounding the Online Travel Agencies and owed back taxes to the State. The decision has the OTC’s paying back the General Excise Tax owed to the State spanning over 10 years. HLTA issued an official statement along with AH&LA stang that while we are happy with an outcome that addresses the GET, we would have liked to see the issue of owed transient accommodaons tax addressed. AMBUSH ELECTIONS: In mid-December the Naonal Labor Relaons Board (NLRB) released its final rule on governing representaon-case procedures (union elecons), also known as the “Ambush Rule”. The rule will significantly alter the meframe for representaon elecons in the workplace. It shortens the elecon process down from the current median me of 38 days to as few as 10 days. A joint resoluon S.J. Res 8 was passed by both the Senate and House of Representaves which would provide congressional disapproval of the rule submi:ed by the Naonal Labor Relaons Boar relang to representaon case procedures. This bill was unfortunately vetoed by the President. The NLRB’s rule went into effect on April 14th and AH&LA is remaining hopeful that a court will overturn the rule in the very near future. ONLINE BOOKING SCAMS: Online scams and frauds are plaguing our industry with con-arsts on the web ripping off our visitors with fake online booking mechanisms. AH&LA is urging member s of Congress to press the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in further invesgang this problem. STATE PRIORITY ISSUES Short Term Online Rental Market (S.T.O.R.M): Numerous bills were introduced in both the House and the Senate that called for ways to regulate the growing market of Vacaon Rentals By Owners (VRBO’s). Two bills, SB519 and HB825, gained the most tracon. SB519 authorizes the Department of Taxaon to enforce civil penales for operators and plan managers who fail to display their cerficate of registraon and registraon ID numbers for transient accommodaons and resort me share vacaon plans. HB825 called for the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to establish licensing requirements and enforcement provisions for transient vacaon rentals. Both bills ‘crossed over’ to the other chamber; HB825 was killed in the Senate while SB519 went the distance and was recently passed out of Conference Commi:ee, it will be put to Final Reading this week. Tax Credit for Construcon/Renovaon: At the beginning of the Session, we connued to push for the desired tax credit on hotel construcon and renovaon. HB133, HB572 and SB536 all addressed the issue of bringing back a much desired tax exempon. HB133 and SB536 both ulmately died this year in the Senate Commi:ee on Ways and Means. With new leadership focused heavily on fiscal strength, it wasn’t in the books this year to establish a tax credit for our industry. Transient Accommodaons Tax & County Funding: This session there were a handful of Bills that addressed the Transient Accommodaons Tax in regards to County allocaons. In 2014, Act 174 SLH 2014, was established which created a State-County funcons working group which is tasked with evaluang the division of dues and responsibilies between the State and counes relang to the provision of public services; and to submit a recommendaon to the Legislature on the appropriate allocaon of the transient accommodaons tax revenues between the State and counes that properly reflect the division of dues and responsibilies relang to the provision of public services. We took the stance that the group should report their findings (scheduled 20 days prior to the convening of the 2016 Legislature), before any legislaon addresses the issue of changing the model in which the counes receive TAT allocaons. Labor & Mandatory Sick Leave: This session there were two bills SB129 and HB496 that required certain employers to provide sick leave to service workers. We opposed both of these bills with the reasoning that the majority of companies in Hawaii currently address the issue of sick leave as an agreement between the employer and employee; we feel that this benefit should not be imposed as a requirement through legislaon. Alongside many other associaons, chambers of commerce, businesses and organizaons we were able to oppose and put a stop to these bills. Labor & Mandatory Sick Leave: This session there were two bills that looked to impose new renewable standards milestone and regulaons for Hawai'i SB715 and HB623. We opposed language in each bill that required that these standards also be imposed on Large SelfGenerators (especially with the growing use of CHP’s or Combined heat and power generators). The language addressing Large Self-Generators was deleted from both bills. BILLS IN ORDER OF CATEGORY Bill HB1387 HD1 SB1233 SB1377 SD1 HB387 SB604 Name Descripon RELATING TO Establishes a surcharge on the sale of CONSERVATION acvies by acvity desks. Requires AND RESOURCES proceeds to be deposited into the Conservaon and Resource Enforcement Special Fund. Creates Acvity Desk Surcharge Subaccount. (HB1387 HD1) MAKING AN Appropriates monies for a federal APPROPRIATION inspecon staon at Kona internaonal FOR A FEDERAL airport. INSPECTION STATION AT KONA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. RELATING TO THE WAIKIKIDIAMOND HEAD SHORELINE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AREA Prohibits spearfishing at all hours of the day within the Waikiki-Diamond Head shoreline fisheries management area. Effecve 7/1/2050. (SD1) RELATING TO COFFEE LABELING Requires coffee blend label to disclose regional origins and per cent by weight of the blended coffees. Prohibits using geographic origins of coffee in labeling or adversing, when roasted or instant coffee contains less than 51 per cent coffee by weight from that geographic origin. RELATING TO AGRICULTURE HLTA Posion DEAD OP PO SE Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the commi:ee(s) on WAL DEAD Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to WAM SUPPORT DEAD SUPPORT Establishes the Hawaii Grown Origin Products Commission to idenfy and regulate the labeling of selected products grown or produced in Hawaii. Establishes the Hawaii Grown Origin Products Special Fund. Makes appropriaons. Status The commi:ee(s) on OMH/WAL recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. DEAD OP PO SE DEAD OP PO SE The commi:ee on CPN deferred the measure. Bill Name SB594 SD1 RELATING TO COFFEE HB1327 HD1 SB1306 SD1 HB1075 HD2 SD2 CD1 RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY RELATING TO REAL PROPERTY. RELATING TO HEALTH Descripon Descripon : Requires a specific lisng of the geographic origins of various Hawaii-grown coffees and the geographic or regional origins of the various coffees not grown in Hawaii that are included in a coffee blend to be listed on the front panel of a label. Allows all imported coffees in a blend to be listed in the aggregate as "imported coffee". Effecve January 1, 2016. (SD1) Permits a taxpayer who provides transient accommodaons on real property leased from a related enty to claim a general excise tax deducon from the amount of gross proceeds or gross income received from its sublease of the real property . Permits a taxpayer who provides transient accommodaons on real property leased from a related enty to claim a general excise tax deducon from the amount of gross proceeds or gross income received from its sublease of the real property. Takes effect on 7/1/2050. Authorizes the Governor, the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Health Systems Corporaon, and Board of the Maui Regional System Board to enter into an agreement with a private enty duly authorized to conduct business in the State to transfer any one or more of the facilies of the Maui Regional System to a new nonprofit management enty to manage, operate, and use to provide health care HLTA Posion Status DEAD OP PO SE Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to CPN/WAM. DEAD Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to WAM. SUPPORT DEAD Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. SUPPORT ALIVE SUPPORT Bill was successfully passed out of the State Legislature and has been transmi:ed to the Governor for signature. SENATE BILLS Bill HB1322 SB1014 SD1 SB129 SD2 HB496 HD1 SD2 Name Descripon RELATING TO A HOMELESS PERSON''S BILL OF RIGHTS Establishes a homeless person''s bill of rights. Allows a person to obtain injuncve or declaratory relief, damages, and reasonable a:orney''s fees for a violaon of these rights. RELATING TO THE Defines specific rights granted to a HOUSELESS BILL person who is houseless including OF RIGHTS equal access to housing, jobs, and shelters, equal treatment by government agencies, and access to life -sustaining acvies and essenal services. Effecve 01/07/2059. RELATING TO LABOR RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT Requires certain employers to provide sick leave to service workers for specified purposes under certain condions. Defines service workers and employers. Effecve January 7, 2059. Requires the office of the lieutenant governor to work with the department of labor and industrial relaons to conduct an actuarial study on the cost of implemenng a family leave insurance program that would allow employees to take up to 12 weeks of paid family leave, including a=er any leave available pursuant to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act is exhausted, and the effect that the leave may have on the exisng temporary disability insurance program and prepare a report to the legislature. Appropriates funds for the study and report. Provides that service workers shall be authorized to earn and carry over up to 80 hours of paid sick leave. HLTA Posion Status DEAD Referred to HUS, JUD MONITOR DEAD The commi:ee(s) on HUS recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. MONITOR DEAD OP PO SE This measure has been deleted from the meeng scheduled on Tuesday 03-24-15 9:45AM in conference room 309. (LAB commi:ee) DEAD Bill Died in conference commi:ee on 4/30/2015. OP PO SE Bill SB1174 SD2 HD2 HB321 HD1 SD2 CD1 HB227 SB99 Name Descripon RELATING TO WORKERS' COMPENSATION. Provides that an independent medical examinaon and permanent impairment rang examinaon shall be conducted by a qualified physician selected by the mutual agreement of the pares. Provides a process for appointment in the event that there is no mutual agreement RELATING TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA RELATING TO NOISE CONTROL RELATING TO PARKING Establishes a new chapter for medical marijuana dispensaries and limits on amounts that can be purchased. Prohibits counes from enacng zoning regulaons that prohibit the use of land for licensed dispensaries. Clarifies the right of qualifying paents and primary caregivers to transport medical marijuana. Establishes various criminal offenses to protect against unauthorized access to dispensary premises, distribuon of marijuana to minors, diversion of marijuana, and alteraon or falsificaon of dispensary records….. Enhances community noise control as regulated by county liquor commissions in counes with a large populaon Establishes fines beginning 1/1/2016 for owners of parking facilies with at least one hundred parking spaces that do not provide at least one parking space equipped with a charging system exclusively for electric vehicles . HLTA Posion Status DEAD OP PO Conference commi:ee meeng to reconvene on 04 -30-15 3:00PM in conference room 229 SE ALIVE Bill was successfully passed out of the State Legislature and has been transmi:ed to the Governor for signature. MONITOR DEAD OP PO SE The commi:ee(s) on EDB recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. DEAD Re-Referred to TRA/PSM, JDL/ WAM. MONITOR Bill Name SB715 SD2 RELATING TO RENEWABLE STANDARDS HB623 HD2 SD2 CD1 HB444 HD3 SD2 CD1 HB353 RELATING TO RENEWABLE STANDARDS RELATING TO BEACH PROTECTION Descripon Increases renewable porVolio standards to seventy per cent by 12/31/2035 and one hundred per cent by 12/31/2050, unless the acquision of renewable energy is not beneficial to Hawaii's economy. Clarifies and establishes events or circumstances that are outside of an electric ulity company's reasonable control. Requires the public ulies commission to report on cost-effecveness of renewable porVolio standards to address the impact on renewable energy developer energy prices. Effecve 07/01/2050. (SD2) Increases renewable porVolio standards to 30 percent by December 31, 2020, 70 percent by December 31, 2040, and 100 percent by December 31, 2045. Requires the Public Ulies Commission to include the impact of renewable porVolio standards, if any, on the energy prices offered by renewable energy developers and the cost of fossil fuel volality in its renewable porVolio standards study and report to the Legislature. Authorizes the use of certain transient accommodaons tax revenues for beach restoraon and conservaon. Makes appropriaons for fiscal year 2014-2015 and 2015-2016. Effecve upon approval, except for part 1 which is effecve 7/1/2016. RELATING TO THE Appropriates $3,000,000 to the DIAMOND HEAD department of land and natural SEAWALL resources for planning, design, and construcon costs associated with assessing, repairing, and maintaining the Diamond Head seawall. HLTA Posion Status DEAD Referred to EEP, CPC, FIN, COMMENTS ALIVE COMMENTS Bill was successfully passed out of the State Legislature and has been transmi:ed to the Governor for signature. ALIVE SUPPORT Bill was successfully passed out of the State Legislature and has been transmi:ed to the Governor for signature. DEAD Referred to WAL, FIN SUPPORT Bill SB10 SB617 SD1 HB854 HD1 Name Descripon RELATING TO THE Appropriates $3,000,000 to the DIAMOND HEAD department of land and natural SEAWALL resources for planning, design, and construcon costs associated with assessing, repairing, and maintaining the Diamond Head seawall. RELATING TO BEACH PROTECTION RELATING TO SERVICE CHARGES. Incorporates beach land conservaon under the general powers of the board of land and natural resources. Expands the department of land and natural resources'' beach restoraon plans to include beach conservaon plans. Requires beach restoraon plans to include, where appropriate, county parcipaon and the formaon of private-public partnerships... Allocates $3,000,000 of transient accommodaons tax revenues to the special land and development fund to be expended in accordance with the long-range strategic plan for tourism. Allocates an annual amount of $3,000,000 of transient accommodaons tax revenues to the beach restoraon and conservaon special fund and requires the fund to maintain a balance of $7,000,000 once Requires hotels to distribute porterage service charges to employees in full or disclose to customers that the charges are being used for other purposes. HLTA Posion Status DEAD Referred to WTL, WAM. SUPPORT DEAD Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. SUPPORT DEAD OP PO SE The commi:ee(s) on TSI deleted the measure from the public hearing scheduled on 03-18 -15 2:45PM in conference room 225. Bill SB265 SD1 HD1 CD1 HB50 HD1 HB197 HD2 Name RELATING TO SEX TRAFFICKING RELATING TO SHOOTING RANGE PROTECTION RELATING TO THE TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX Descripon Replaces the term "promong prostuon in the first degree" with the term "sex trafficking," a class A felony. Includes the offense of sex trafficking in the department of the a:orney general's statewide witness program. Includes the offense of sex trafficking in the list of violent crimes for which vicms may be eligible for criminal injury compensaon …. Amends the offense of promong prostuon in the second degree and the law relang to the moon to vacate a convicon of certain prostuon offenses. Includes the offense of sex trafficking in the list of covered offenses for which property is subject to forfeiture. Adds the offense of sex trafficking to the list of crimes for which an order to intercept wire, oral, or electronic communicaons is permi:ed..... Provides for shoong range exempons regarding retroacve regulaon, and civil and criminal noise and nuisance violaons. Amends amount of Transient Accommodaons Tax revenues allocated to the counes from a specified sum to a percentage of the revenues collected for the counes to address visitor industry impacts on county services and tourism-related infrastructure. HLTA Posion Status ALIVE Bill was successfully passed out of the State Legislature and has been enrolled to the Governor for signature. SUPPORT DEAD OP PO SE Passed Second Reading and referred to the commi:ee(s) on JUD DEAD Referred to TSI/ PSM, WAM. MONITOR Bill HB403 HB954 HB999 HD2 HB1257 HD1 HB1448 HD1 Name Descripon RELATING TO TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX Removes the current cap on transient accommodaons tax revenues to be distributed to the counes and establishes the distribuon of these revenues as a percentage of TAT collected for infrastructure and services related to increased tourism. RELATING TO THE TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX RELATING TO TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX RELATING TO THE TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX RELATING TO THE TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX Clarifies the distribuon and allowable uses of Transient Accommodaons Tax funds allocated and deposited into the Special Land and Development Fund in accordance with the Hawaii Tourism Authority's Strategic Plan. Exempts from the Transient Accommodaons Tax, accommodaons provided solely for use as temporary lodging by an individual, or the individual's immediate family members, spouse, or civil union partner while the individual is receiving health care services in a county in which the individual does not reside. Clarifies the authority of the Board of Land and Natural Resources and Hawaii Tourism Authority to expend Transient Accommodaons Tax revenues deposited into the special land and development fund. Repeals provision relang to Tourism Special Fund expenditures that is set to expire on June 30, 2015. Clarifies Board of Land and Natural Resources and Hawaii Tourism Authority expenditure authority over Transient Accommodaons Tax revenue allocated to the Special Land and Development Fund. HLTA Posion Status DEAD MONITOR The commi:ee(s) on TOU recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. DEAD MONITOR The commi:ee(s) on WAL recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. DEAD Referred to TSI, WAM. MONITOR DEAD SUPPORT Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the commi:ee(s) on WAL DEAD MONITOR Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the commi:ee(s) on WAL Bill HB373, HB199, SB408, SB412 Name RELATING TO THE TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX Descripon HLTA Posion Status DEAD Amends amount of transient accommodaons tax revenues allocated to the counes from a specified sum to a percentage of the revenues collected. MONITOR SB534 SB1123 RELATING TO TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX Amends the rate of the transient accommodaons tax (TAT) beginning July 1, 2016. Changes the allocaon of TAT revenues to each county. Requires each county to expend moneys received from TAT exclusively to market and promote tourism and tourism-related acvies and events within the respecve county. Requires each county to report to the legislature annually on its expenditures of the TAT. ... DEAD The commi:ee on PSM deferred the measure. OP PO SE DEAD RELATING TO THE Clarifies the distribuon and allowable TRANSIENT uses of Transient Accommodaons Tax ACCOMMODATIONS funds allocated and deposited into the TAX Special Land and Development Fund in accordance with the Hawaii Tourism Authority's Strategic Plan. Referred to TSI/ WTL, WAM. MONITOR SB1252 RELATING TO TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX. Exempts from the transient accommodaons tax, accommodaons provided solely for use as temporary lodging by an individual, or the individual's immediate family members or companions when the individual is receiving healthcare services in a county in which the individual does not reside . DEAD Referred to TSI, WAM. MONITOR Bill HB133 HD1 Name RELATING TO TAXATION Descripon HLTA Posion Status DEAD Provides an income tax credit for costs incurred in hotel construcon or renovaon. Report adopted; Passed Second Reading and referred to WAM. SUPPORT HB572 RELATING TO TOURISM DEAD Provides an income tax credit for qualified hotel construcon and renovaon for taxable years beginning in the period a=er December 31, 2015, through December 31, 2020. SUPPORT SB536 SD1 DEAD RELATING TO Provides an income tax credit for TOURISM STIMULUS qualified hotel construcon and INITIATIVES renovaon for taxable years beginning in the period a=er December 31, 2014, through December 31, 2019. SUPPORT HB345 HD1 HB169 HD1 SD1 CD1 SB1280 SD2 HD2 RELATING TO TAXATION RELATING TO TAXATION RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANIES Imposes a conveyance tax on the conveyance of a controlling interest of an enty that has an interest in real property in the State. Applies to conveyances occurring a=er June 30, 2015. Amends the definion of fair market rental value. Increases the transient accommodaons tax imposed on resort me share vacaon units by 1 per cent each year to gradually achieve a rate of 9.25 per cent of the fair market rental value. Requires the public ulies commission to regulate transportaon network companies and transportaon network company drivers. Requires drivers to register as business enes with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Establishes insurance requirements and qualificaons for persons who operate or serve as drivers for transportaon network companies. Appropriates funds to the PUC. The commi:ee(s) on TOU recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. DEAD OP PO Referred to CPN, JDL/WAM SE ALIVE COMMENTS Bill was successfully passed out of the State Legislature and has been transmi:ed to the Governor DEAD MONITOR Bill SB519 SD2 HD3 CD1 HB198, HB1452, SB409 HB803 HB825 HD1 Name RELATING TO TAXATION RELATING TO TAXATION , ZONING RELATING TO TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIO NS RELATING TO TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIO NS Descripon Authorizes fines to be deposited into the tax administraon special fund. Increases the balance that may be retained in the tax administraon special fund in each fiscal year. Authorizes DOTAX to enforce civil penales for operators and plan managers who fail to display the cerficate of registraon and registraon ID numbers for transient accommodaons and resort me share vacaon plans. Authorizes DOTAX to issue citaons for failure to provide the registraon idenficaon number or link to the number and the contact informaon of the local contact in an adversement ... Clarifies county zoning by allowing amorzaon or phasing out of nonconforming single-family transient vacaon rentals over a reasonable period of me Amends Act 326, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, by (1) Replacing the term "local contact" with "on-island agent"; (2) Defining the term "on-island agent"; (3) Clarifying that an associaon''s duty to report to DOTAX is limited to the relevant informaon an associaon actually receives from a transient accommodaon operator; (4) Amending penales imposed on associaons for failure to report; and (5) Repealing the HLTA Posion Status ALIVE Bill was successfully passed out of the State Legislature and has been enrolled to the Governor for signature. SUPPORT DEAD MONITOR DEAD The commi:ee(s) on TOU recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. MONITOR DEAD Descripon : Establishes licensing requirements and enforcement provisions for transient vacaon rentals to be administered by the department of commerce and consumer affairs. Referred to TSI/ CPN, JDL/WAM. SUPPORT Bill HB803, SB1031 SB1237 Name Descripon ATING TO Amends Act 326, Session Laws of TRANSIENT Hawaii 2012, by (1) Replacing the term ACCOMMODATIO "local contact" with "on-island agent"; NS (2) Defining the term "on-island agent"; (3) Clarifying that an associaon''s duty to report to DOTAX is limited to the relevant informaon an associaon actually receives from a transient accommodaon operator; (4) Amending penales imposed on associaons for failure to report; and (5) Repealing the sunset date. RELATING TO TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIO NS HLTA Posion Status DEAD MONITOR DEAD Proscribes licensing requirements and enforcement provisions for transient vacaon rentals under the department of commerce and consumer affairs. Takes effect on 1/1/2016. The commi:ee on CPN deferred the measure. SUPPORT HB724, SB740 RELATING TO BROADBAND ACCESS AVAILABILITY IN RESORT AREAS DEAD Establishes a task force to create a master plan for the availability of universal high speed broadband access in Waikiki and other resort areas. MONITOR