Maui’s advancing Bill 88 zoning carve-out seeks to shield thousands of short-term rentals from elimination, countering previous regulatory mandates and raising questions about the county’s exposure to ongoing legal challenges.
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And our final fun at the legislature, Green Fee Sleight of Hand
Hawaiʻi lawmakers are heavily modifying the Green Fee’s initial project recommendations during budget negotiations, reinforcing industry concerns that the dedicated environmental tax is morphing into a general state spending pool.
Speed Lawmaking, Hawaiʻi Style: Final Scorecard
The conclusion of Hawaiʻi’s legislative session brings mixed outcomes for tourism bills, with HTA surviving under a weakened mandate, underscoring the industry’s ongoing vulnerability to political budget fights and shifting priorities.
Legislature Nears Finish Line… HTA Funding Doesn’t
The failure of HB 1950 to secure a dedicated TAT funding stream for the Hawaii Tourism Authority underscores ongoing legislative friction, leaving the agency’s long-term marketing and governance stability in question.
Right Pocket, Left Pocket, Slow Progress
Hawaiʻi’s Green Fee advisory council has proposed $126.4M in resilience and tourism projects, but a dispute over bond funding versus direct fee revenue, and new transparency demands, signals the program’s first political test.
Intent vs. Execution
Maui’s Bill 9 aims to phase out more than 6,000 short-term rentals, but rejected zoning carve-outs and likely court challenges highlight the ongoing collision between housing policy and the island’s visitor lodging reality.
Speed Lawmaking, Hawaiʻi Style
Hawaiʻi’s 60-day legislative sprint is underway, with bills targeting TAT marketing funds, comp room charges, vacation rental enforcement, tourism governance, and Michelin funding, all carrying real implications for hospitality.
A Star Is Born… If We Write the Check
A proposed Hawaiʻi bill would use state funds to bring Michelin to the islands, raising a broader debate over whether public dollars should pay for global validation of an already world-class dining scene.
When Liability Explodes: The Messy Reality of Condo Management
A lawsuit following a deadly grill explosion at a Maui condotel exposes the tangled liability of condo and vacation rental management, raising hard questions about who is truly responsible when multiple owners, brands, and operators overlap.
Heads in Beds, Hands in Cuffs
A recent Visitor Public Safety Conference highlighted growing use of drones, cameras, and AI in Waikīkī, raising a harder question: as surveillance expands for safety, how far should privacy be allowed to shift?
