Report Title:

Tourism Special Fund; Additional TAT Revenue Distribution

 

Description:

Requires, for fiscal year 2009-2010 and fiscal year 2010-2011 only, an additional distribution of not more than $10,000,000 in transient accommodations tax revenues to the tourism special fund.

 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1204

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT


 

 

RELATING TO TOURISM.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The purpose of this Act is to require an additional distribution of transient accommodations tax revenues to the tourism special fund in fiscal year 2009-2010 and fiscal year 2010-2011.  The additional distribution is to come from the portion of the transient accommodations tax revenues that is normally deposited into the general fund.

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

     "(b)  Revenues collected under this chapter shall be distributed as follows[, with the excess revenues to be deposited into the general fund]:

     (1)  17.3 per cent of the revenues collected under this chapter shall be deposited into the convention center enterprise special fund established under section 201B-8; provided that [beginning January 1, 2002,] if the amount of the revenue collected under this paragraph exceeds $33,000,000 in any calendar year, revenues collected in excess of $33,000,000 shall be deposited into the general fund;

     (2)  34.2 per cent of the revenues collected under this chapter shall be deposited into the tourism special fund established under section 201B-11 for tourism promotion and visitor industry research; provided that [beginning on July 1, 2002,] of the first $1,000,000 in revenues deposited:

         (A)  Ninety per cent shall be deposited into the state parks special fund established in section 184‑3.4; and

         (B)  Ten per cent shall be deposited into the special land and development fund established in section 171-19 for the Hawaii statewide trail and access program;

          provided that of the 34.2 per cent, 0.5 per cent shall be transferred to a sub-account in the tourism special fund to provide funding for a safety and security budget, in accordance with the Hawaii tourism strategic plan 2005-2015; provided further that of the revenues remaining in the tourism special fund after revenues have been deposited as provided in this paragraph and except for any sum authorized by the legislature for expenditure from revenues subject to this paragraph, beginning July 1, 2007, funds shall be deposited into the tourism emergency trust fund, established in section 201B-10, in a manner sufficient to maintain a fund balance of $5,000,000 in the tourism emergency trust fund; [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[.]; and

     (4)  The remaining revenues shall be deposited as follows:

         (A)  For each of fiscal year 2009-2010 and fiscal year 2010-2011 only, $10,000,000 or all remaining revenues, whichever amount is less, shall be deposited into the tourism special fund.  If there are any remaining revenues after this deposit, the remaining revenues shall be deposited in the general fund; and

         (B)  Beginning in fiscal year 2011-2012 and for each fiscal year thereafter, all remaining revenues shall be deposited into the general fund.

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

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2009.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________