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HSAC submitted supporting research to the relevant committees. (See paper <br />appended.) The chairs deferred to the Hawaii Association for Justice, who testified that <br />"...county lifeguards serving on State beaches are considered employees of the State <br />and are subject to the protections of the State Tort Liability Act, [and] ... are entitled to a <br />defense, at no personal cost, by the Office of the Attorney General..." <br />HB 1717- SB 2171 <br />RELATING TO THE TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX. <br />Amends the allocation of transient accommodations tax revenues based upon the <br />recommendations of the State -County Functions Working Group established by Act <br />174, Session Laws of Hawaii 2014, to consider the distribution of duties and <br />responsibilities for public services between the State and the counties and to <br />recommend a model for the allocation of transient accommodations tax revenues. <br />Passed First Reading, referred to TIA, FIN <br />SB 2171 Passed First Reading, referred to EET, WAM <br />Rep. Onishi proposed HB 1946, which is similar to a bill he introduced in 2016. <br />He did not support the bill recommended by the Working Group. Instead of the <br />Working Group bill, he is re -introduced HB 1665, which he introduced in 2018, which <br />proposed to change the method of allocating transient accommodations tax revenues to <br />counties to one based on reimbursements to a county for specified public services <br />rendered by the county, which he feels the Working Group did not address. B&F had <br />concerns about the impact on the financial plan. Rep. Onishi recommended holding <br />HB 1946, which was opposed by many groups. <br />HB 1718, SB 2173 <br />RELATING TO TOBACCO PRODUCTS. <br />Repeals the State's preemptory power to regulate tobacco products and electronic <br />smoking devices. Clarifies that the counties may adopt and enforce ordinances and <br />rules that regulate the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, and electronic smoking <br />devices. <br />Passed First Reading, referred to HLT, JUD, FIN <br />SB 2173 Passed First Reading, referred to CPH/PSM, JDC <br />No hearings were scheduled for either bill. <br />2 <br />