Bill > SB982

This bill requires the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) and the School of Travel Industry Management at the University of Hawaii at Manoa to collaboratively plan, design, construct, and manage a state-owned hotel. The proposed state hotel aims to create workforce development opportunities for local residents, support students' career growth in the hospitality industry, and potentially generate additional revenue for the University of Hawaii. The hotel would be jointly managed by the HTA and the university, with the option to employ labor union members and university students. The bill mandates that both organizations submit progress reports to the legislature before the regular sessions of 2026, 2027, and 2028. To support this initiative, the bill appropriates an unspecified amount of general revenue funds for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, to be used by both the HTA and the university for planning, location searching, and design development. The bill's legislative findings emphasize the potential benefits of the state hotel, including reducing the need to recruit tourism industry leadership from outside Hawaii and providing opportunities for students to gain professional experience in a leading local industry. The act will take effect upon approval, with the funding sections specifically taking effect on July 1, 2025.

Business and Industry

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=982&year=2026