HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.R. NO. |
78 |
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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HOUSE RESOLUTION
 
 
urging the department of business, economic development, and tourism to establish a program to provide grants for hotel employees, or entities entirely owned by hotel employees, to purchase hotels and convert them into employee-owned cooperatives.
 
 
        WHEREAS, according to the University of Hawaii, the accommodation and food services sector of the State's economy employed 113,417 people in 2020; and
 
        WHEREAS, throughout the State, many hotels are privately owned by multinational corporations having directors, executives, and shareholders that are not residents of the State; and
 
        WHEREAS, hotels are bought and sold on the open market regularly; and
 
        WHEREAS, numerous industries throughout the United States operate successfully as cooperatives; and
 
        WHEREAS, there are numerous examples of successful employee-owned hotels throughout the world, including The Priory Hotel in Scotland, the hotels of Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels in North Carolina, and the hotels of TPI Hospitality in Minnesota; and
 
        WHEREAS, developing a process for employees of a bankrupt hotel to purchase and operate that hotel as a cooperative business could prevent increased unemployment in the State; and
 
        WHEREAS, accordingly, it is appropriate for the State to provide grants to match funds for hotel employees to buy hotels and establish employee-owned hotel cooperatives; now, therefore,
 
        BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2023, that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is urged to establish a program to provide grants for hotel employees, or entities entirely owned by hotel employees, to purchase hotels and convert them into employee-owned hotel cooperatives; and
 
        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is requested to require employees and entities to provide matching funds on a dollar   for   dollar basis to qualify for grants under the program; and
 
        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.
 
 
 
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OFFERED BY: |
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Report Title:  
DBEDT; Hotels; Employees; Cooperatives