The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the Hawaii County Council Committee on Infrastructure and Assets on Sept. 3, 2024.
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Sept. 3, 2024, 1 p.m.
Hawai‘i County Building
To: Hawai‘i County Council, Policy Committee on Infrastructure and Assets
Sue Lee Loy, Chair
Ashley Kierkiewicz, Vice-Chair
From: Jonathan Helton, Policy Researcher
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
RE: Bill 184 — RELATING TO THE USE OF COUNTY STREETS; AND ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL ACTIVITY PERMIT FOR COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES
Aloha Chair Lee Loy, Vice-Chair Kierkiewicz and other members of the Committee,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii supports Bill 184, which would set up a special activity permit for people who want to sell food or sell, rent or lease merchandise on or beside county streets and thus open up roadside vending opportunities to small business owners across the island. Currently such activities are illegal.
Permit applicants would need to provide the Hawai‘i County Department of Public Works director a valid business license, proof of insurance and other business-related information.
The nature of roadside vending means most of the people who apply for permits under this bill would be local families and entrepreneurs, not corporations. Tourism is the biggest sector of the island’s economy, and Bill 184 would allow more people to directly benefit from the visitor industry.
Grassroot generally supports this bill, but would like the Committee to reduce the $1,000 fine for street vending without a permit, since a fine of this magnitude could cause financial distress for many mom and pop vendors.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Jonathan Helton
Policy Researcher, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
