Report Title:
TAT; State Tourism Fund; State Parks Special Fund
Description:
Caps TAT revenues deposited to tourism special fund at $60,000,000 annually; diverts excess to state parks special fund.
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1453 |
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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 transient accommodations tax.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that increases in visitor arrivals result in an increase in the amount of transient accommodations tax funds collected by the State. Because Hawaii's environment plays a significant factor in visitors decisions to come to Hawaii and because growing numbers of visitors have a corresponding increase in their impact on our environment, the legislature finds that the growth in visitor arrivals should be related to a corresponding increase in protection of our fragile environment. Currently, 37.9 per cent of the revenues collected under the transient accommodations tax is deposited into the tourism special fund established under section 201B-11 to promote Hawaii as a visitor destination.
It is the purpose of this Act to:
(1) Limit the specified 37.9 per cent of transient accommodations tax revenues that are deposited into the tourism special fund to $60,000,000 annually; and
(2) Direct the portion of the 37.9 per cent of the transient accommodations tax revenues designated to be deposited into the tourism special fund that exceeds $60,000,000 to be deposited into the state parks special fund established in section 184-3.4.
SECTION 2. Section 237D-6.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
"(b) Beginning on January 1, 1999[[],[]] revenues collected under this chapter shall be distributed as follows:
(1) 17.3 per cent of the revenues collected under this chapter shall be deposited into the convention center capital and operations special fund established under section 206X-10.5;
(2) 37.9 per cent of the revenues collected under this chapter shall be deposited into the tourism special fund established under section 201B-11; provided that if the amount of revenues collected exceeds $60,000,000 in any year, then all revenues collected in excess of $60,000,000 shall be deposited into the state parks special fund established in section 184-3.4; and
(3) 44.8 per cent of the revenues collected under this chapter shall be transferred as follows: Kauai county shall receive 14.5 per cent, Hawaii county shall receive 18.6 per cent, city and county of Honolulu shall receive 44.1 per cent, and Maui county shall receive 22.8 per cent.
All transient accommodations taxes shall be paid into the state treasury each month within ten days after collection, and shall be kept by the state director of finance in special accounts for distribution as provided in this subsection."
SECTION 3. Section 184-3.4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
"(a) There is established within the state treasury a fund to be known as the state parks special fund[. All] into which shall be deposited:
(1) All proceeds collected by the state parks programs involving park user fees, any leases or concession agreements, the sale of any article purchased from the department to benefit the state parks programs, or any gifts or contributions[, shall be deposited into this fund; provided that]; and
(2) Transient accommodations tax revenues as provided in section 237D-6.5(b)(2);
provided that proceeds derived from the operation of Iolani Palace shall be used to supplement its educational and interpretive programs."
SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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