§342I-27 Motor vehicle tire surcharge. [For repeal on January 1, 2006, see L 2002, c 191, §8.] (a) There is established a motor vehicle tire surcharge on tires imported into the State after September 30, 2000, and before January 1, 2006. The motor vehicle tire surcharge shall be $1 per tire imported into the State and shall include those tires imported on motor vehicles, and their associated spare tires. Motor vehicle rental companies and companies that sell vehicles to motor vehicle rental companies may subtract the number of tires on motor vehicles that are exported from the State when calculating the motor vehicle tire surcharge. Upon approval of the director, a motor vehicle rental company that purchases new motor vehicles, within the State, may be designated as the importer of motor vehicles. No demand shall be made on the State for payment of surcharge credit if the number of exported motor vehicles exceeds the number of imported motor vehicles in any reporting period. The surcharge shall be paid by the person or entity who imports the tires, including importers of motor vehicles.

(b) The director shall waive the $1 per tire surcharge requirement on Hawaii tire importers when the amount of the collected surcharge to be deposited into the special account in the environmental management special fund established pursuant to section 342G-63 has reached a total of between $2,750,000 and $3,000,000. If the remaining balance in the special account in the environmental management special fund is less than $100,000 in unencumbered funds and there is a need for additional tire cleanup and associated environmental assessments and remediation, the director may reinstate the $1 per tire surcharge with ninety days written notice to tire importers. [L 2000, c 173, pt of §1; am L 2002, c 191, §4]