SB3213

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	3213
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating to Hawaiian Home Lands.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the department of Hawaiian home lands was formed when the United States Congress enacted the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920 to protect and improve the lives of native Hawaiians. The legislature further finds that the department of Hawaiian home lands' primary focus is to serve its beneficiaries through housing opportunities and by managing its extensive land trust that consists of over two hundred thousand acres of land on the islands of Hawaiʻi, Molokaʻi, Lanai, Oʻahu, and Kauai.

The legislature further finds that in fulfilling its obligation to native Hawaiians, the department of Hawaiian home lands has mainly focused on developing single-family homes. The legislature believes that, with more than forty thousand applicants on a waiting list for available housing opportunities, the department of Hawaiian home lands must expand its ability to develop not only single-family homes but also multi-family homes, rental and transitional units, and other alternative housing options for individuals currently on the waiting list and to meet the needs of the State's native Hawaiian population.

The legislature acknowledges that the State's increasing cost of living has priced many native Hawaiians out of their homes. The legislature believes that it is incumbent upon the department of Hawaiian home lands to alleviate the cost burden for native Hawaiians seeking housing in their lineal home. However, without a dedicated funding source, the legislature believes the department of Hawaiian home lands is at an inherent disadvantage in addressing the impact of the State's high cost of living on native Hawaiians.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require one per cent of the transient accommodations tax be allocated to the department of Hawaiian home lands for the purposes of building affordable housing for individuals on the department of Hawaiian home lands waiting list.

SECTION 2. Section 237D-6.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

"(b) Except for the revenues collected pursuant to section 237D-2(e), revenues collected under this chapter shall be distributed in the following priority, with the excess revenues to be deposited into the general fund:

(1) $1,500,000 shall be allocated to the Turtle Bay conservation easement special fund beginning July 1, 2015, for the reimbursement to the state general fund of debt service on reimbursable general obligation bonds, including ongoing expenses related to the issuance of the bonds, the proceeds of which were used to acquire the conservation easement and other real property interests in Turtle Bay, Oahu, for the protection, preservation, and enhancement of natural resources important to the State, until the bonds are fully amortized;

(2) $11,000,000 shall be allocated to the convention center enterprise special fund established under section 201B-8;

(3) An allocation shall be deposited into the tourism emergency special fund, established in section 201B‑10, in a manner sufficient to maintain a fund balance of $5,000,000 in the tourism emergency special fund; [~~and~~]

(4) $3,000,000 shall be allocated to the special land and development fund established under section 171-19; provided that the allocation shall be expended in accordance with the Hawaii tourism authority strategic plan for:

(A) The protection, preservation, maintenance, and enhancement of natural resources, including beaches, important to the visitor industry;

(B) Planning, construction, and repair of facilities; and

(C) Operation and maintenance costs of public lands, including beaches, connected with enhancing the visitor experience[.]; and

(5) One per cent shall be allocated to the department of Hawaiian home lands for the purposes of building affordable housing for individuals on the department of Hawaiian home lands waiting list.

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.

As used in this subsection, "fiscal year" means the twelve-month period beginning on July 1 of a calendar year and ending on June 30 of the following calendar year."

SECTION 3. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________