Report Title:
Public Utilities; Electric Cooperatives
Description:
Exempts electric cooperatives from the general excise tax and public service company tax laws. Defines "electric cooperative".
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1341 |
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TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to Public Utilities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Section 237-23, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
"(a) This chapter shall not apply to the following persons:
(1) Public service companies (as that term is defined in section 239-2), with respect to the gross income, either actual gross income or gross income estimated and adjusted, which is included in the measure of the tax imposed by chapter 239;
(2) Public utilities owned and operated by the State or any county or other political subdivision thereof;
(3) Fraternal benefit societies, orders, or associations, operating under the lodge system, or for the exclusive benefit of the members of the fraternity itself, operating under the lodge system, and providing for the payment of death, sick, accident, prepaid legal services, or other benefits to the members of such societies, orders, or associations, and to their dependents;
(4) Corporations, associations, trusts, or societies organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, or educational purposes, as well as that of operating senior citizens housing facilities qualifying for a loan under the laws of the United States as authorized by section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959, as amended, as well as that of operating a prepaid legal services plan, as well as that of operating or managing a homeless facility, or any other program for the homeless authorized under chapter 201G, part IV;
(5) Business leagues, chambers of commerce, boards of trade, civic leagues, agricultural and horticultural organizations, and organizations operated exclusively for the benefit of the community and for the promotion of social welfare which shall include the operation of a prepaid legal service plan, and from which no profit inures to the benefit of any private stockholder or individual;
(6) Hospitals, infirmaries, and sanitaria;
(7) Cooperative associations incorporated under chapter 421 or Code section 521 cooperatives which fully meet the requirements of section 421-23, except Code section 521 cooperatives need not be organized in Hawaii; provided that:
(A) The exemption shall apply only to the gross income derived from activities which are pursuant to purposes and powers authorized by chapter 421, except those provisions pertaining to or requiring corporate organization in Hawaii do not apply to Code section 521 cooperatives;
(B) The exemption shall not relieve any person who receives any proceeds of sale from the association of the duty of returning and paying the tax on the total gross proceeds of the sales on account of which the payment was made, in the same amount and at the same rate as would apply thereto had the sales been made directly by the person, and all such persons shall be so taxable; and
(C) As used in this paragraph, "section 521 cooperatives" mean associations which qualify as a cooperative under section 521 (with respect to exemption of farmers' cooperatives from tax) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;
(8) Persons affected with Hansen's disease and kokuas, with respect to business within the county of Kalawao;
(9) Corporations, companies, associations, or trusts organized for the establishment and conduct of cemeteries no part of the net earnings of which inures to the financial benefit of any private stockholder or individual (provided that the exemption shall apply only to the activities of such persons in the conduct of cemeteries and not to any activity the primary purpose of which is to produce income, even though the income is to be used for or in the furtherance of the exempt activities of such persons); [and]
(10) Nonprofit shippers associations operating under part 296 of the Civil Aeronautics Board Economic Regulations[.]; and
(11) Electric cooperatives as defined in section 269-1."
SECTION 2. Section 239-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending the definition of "public utility" to read:
""Public utility" has the meaning given that term in section 269-1[.]; provided that for the purposes of this chapter, "public utility" does not include an electric cooperative as defined in section 269-1."
SECTION 3. Section 269-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new definition to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows:
""Electric cooperative" means any private corporation or association organized for purposes of transmitting or distributing electricity exclusively to its stockholders or members at cost."
SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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