Requires, from 7/1/01 to 6/30/02, a portion of all transient accommodations tax revenues collected by the department of taxation to be deposited into the state parks special fund and used for the purposes of the special fund. (HB694 HD1)

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. Findings and purpose. The legislature recognizes the connection between Hawaii's state park system and the vitality of its economy, especially its tourism sector. Over seven million tourists visit our islands each year to enjoy our great outdoors, including the natural beauty and the cultural treasures that comprise much of the state park system.

In the past, the nexus between the state park system and the tourism sector has not been clearly connected, as our state parks are usually some distance away from what are generally viewed as the primary tourism facilities -- the resort destination. The allure of our islands to these tourists, however, very heavily depends on ancillary facilities such as shopping and entertainment venues and customary visits to cultural and natural offerings of our state parks and other outdoor venues.

The recent and prolonged economic malaise has, as in most other government programs, severely limited the ability of the state park system to properly maintain the heavily used and often aged state park facilities throughout our islands, which often leads to complaints from visitors and repeat visitors about the deteriorated condition of our state parks.

In order to better align the heretofore limited linkage between tourism and the state park system and recognizing the natural benefit of direct assistance from an industry whose constituency is the majority of the state park users, the legislature believes that a portion of Hawaii's transient accommodations tax revenues should be earmarked to supplement the operating costs of the state park system from July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2002.

SECTION 2. 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 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 [proceeds]:

SECTION 3. 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:

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 4. There is appropriated out of the state parks special fund the sum of $4,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002, for the purpose of the state parks special fund. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.