Title
HAWAII STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES (HSAC) (2018 HSAC LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE) (PEA-3(1))
Description
The Committee is in receipt of the following:
1. County Communication 17-8, from Council Chair Mike White, relating to matters pertaining to the Hawaii State Association of Counties.
2. Correspondence dated October 10, 2017, from Council Chair Mike White, transmitting a proposed resolution entitled “APPROVING PROPOSALS FOR INCLUSION IN THE 2018 HAWAII STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE.” The purpose of the proposed resolution is to approve for inclusion in the 2018 HSAC Legislative Package the following proposed State bills, attached as exhibits to the proposed resolution, entitled:
a. “A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ZONING.” The purpose of the proposed State bill is to clarify County zoning authority by distinguishing single-family residential use from single-family vacation rental use and to allow amortization by ordinance for single-family transient vacation rentals over a reasonable period.
b. “A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION.” The purpose of the proposed State bill is to provide a taxpayer who hires an individual with a disability a nonrefundable tax credit for the six-month period after the individual is initially hired by the taxpayer.
c. “A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TAXATION.” The purpose of the proposed State bill is to provide a taxpayer who hires an elderly individual a nonrefundable tax credit for the six-month period after the individual is initially hired by the taxpayer.
d. “A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.” The purpose of the proposed State bill is to eliminate the cap for distribution of transient accommodations tax revenues to the counties.
e. “A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS.” The purpose of the proposed State bill is to establish a tax credit of 25 percent of the total cost, including installation, of an automatic fire suppression system in any new detached one- or two-family dwelling unit in a structure used only for residential purposes, with a sunset date of June 30, 2025.
f. “A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE CONVEYANCE TAX.” The purpose of the proposed State bill is to increase revenue for each county’s affordable housing fund through a one-percent conveyance tax on the sale of condominiums or single-family residences with a value of more than $2,000,000.
g. “A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.” The purpose of the proposed State bill is to amend the transient accommodations tax (“TAT”) law to require online travel companies and other transient accommodations remarketers to pay TAT on their portion of proceeds from the booking of accommodations to increase TAT revenue to the benefit of every county in the State.
h. “A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GOVERNMENT RECORDS.” The purpose of the proposed State bill is to amend the Sunshine Law to allow certain government records to be shared among public board members where no commitment relating to a vote on the matter is made or sought.
i. “A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IMPORTANT AGRICULTURAL LANDS.” The purpose of the proposed State bill is to implement Act 183, Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, in accordance with the State’s constitutional duty to protect important agricultural lands, by providing funds to the counties for the identification and mapping of important agricultural lands.
j. “A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.” The purpose of the proposed State bill is to allow a representative of each county council to be present as a non-voting participant in negotiations with bargaining units if the relevant county has employees in the particular bargaining unit.
k. “A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TORT LIABILITY.” The purpose of the proposed State bill is to make permanent the protections of Act 170, Session Laws of Hawaii 2002, which provided the State, counties, and lifeguards immunity from liability against damages arising from the acts or omissions of lifeguards while performing emergency lifeguard services.
l. “A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO UNADJUDICATED TRAFFIC FINES.” The purpose of the proposed State bill is to provide for identification by the judiciary of fines paid for uncontested traffic infractions and to allow for specified portions of those fines to be paid to the counties.
m. “A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.” The purpose of the proposed State bill is to appropriate funds to the Department of Health for the purchase of an ambulance vehicle and the operational costs for one ambulance unit, including equipment, supplies, and personnel costs for State-certified emergency medical services personnel, for a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week, ambulance unit for the County of Kauai.
n. “A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES.” The purpose of the proposed State bill is to establish unmanned aerial vehicle laws and rules that complement federal rules and regulations.
o. “A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO COMMUNITY MEETINGS.” The purpose of the proposed State bill is to amend the permitted interaction for board members attending an informational meeting, pursuant to Section 92-2.5(e), Hawaii Revised Statutes, to provide that the limitation on number of attendees shall not apply to members of a county council.
p. “A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IDENTIFICATION CARDS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.” The purpose of the proposed State bill is to allow persons with disabilities to indicate their disability on their identification cards.
q. “A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS TAX.” The purpose of the proposed State bill is to provide a fair, consistent, and predictable priority allocation of transient accommodations tax revenues, including an allocation to the counties of 45 percent of the amount of revenues remaining after all other allocations are made.
Status
The Committee may consider whether to recommend adoption of the proposed resolution, with or without revisions. The Committee may also consider the filing of the correspondence and other related action.