Hawaii appears to be moving toward passage of a 'visitor impact fee' that would be charged to each visitor checking into a hotel or short-term rental in the island state.
If passed, it would be the first attempt by any U.S. state to impose such a fee, although it is not uncommon for some countries, including a number of other Pacific island destinations to do so, or for cities and states to add taxes to hotel bills for a variety of purposes.
The push to impose a fee to cover costs of the impact of tourism on the islands' environment has gained steam especially since last summer's wildfires in the Maui community of Lahaina.
The Hawaii Senate is considering a re-introduced bill that would set the fee at $50, while the lower House has held hearings on a measure that would set it at $25 per person. There has been significant public support for the measures, although some tourism industry groups have expressed worry that a fee that charged a family of four $100 or $200 to visit might send business elsewhere.
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