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House committee advances bill creating gaming working group; removes named corporations from membership
Summary
The House Committee on Economic Development moved SB891 forward with amendments that expand membership of a proposed gaming working group, add public-health and labor representatives, and remove direct naming of specific gaming corporations while allowing seats for gaming-industry designees. The committee voted to pass the bill with amendments.
The House Committee on Economic Development on Wednesday voted to pass Senate Bill 891 with amendments that broaden the proposed gaming working group's membership, add public-health and labor representation, and remove direct references to specific gaming corporations.
The bill, as amended, directs creation of a working group to study and recommend policy and regulatory options if gaming is legalized in Hawaii. Committee members said the group should address addiction and other health risks, financial harms, workforce implications and community impacts. Testimony during the hearing included both opposition from Native Hawaiian organizations and support or conditional support from tourism, labor and local development interests.
Committee members amended the draft to: remove named corporations (the chair said the bill will instead reserve three seats for individuals from the gaming community rather than listing companies by name); add two members with health or social-services experience to address addiction and related harms; add one labor representative; add representatives from the Aiea Community Association, Aloha Halawa District Partners, the Hawaii Tourism Authority and a Native Hawaiian working group; and permit the Senate and House co-chairs to appoint designees. The amended working group also was directed to study ways to mitigate addiction and financial harm associated with gambling.
Speakers for and against the bill included Native Hawaiian advocates who urged rejection unless regulation and Native Hawaiian leadership were strengthened, and several labor and development representatives who sought seats or amendments to ensure local benefit and workforce protections. The committee's report language also removes several corporation names and replaces them with generalized slots for gaming-industry participants.
In decision-making, the committee recorded the bill as passing with amendments. The chair's recommendation to pass with amendments was adopted. The committee's amendments and the vote record are included below.
