Report Title:

General excise tax (GET); repeal of exemptions; lowering GET from 4 percent to 2 percent.

Description:

Repeals general excise tax (GET) exemptions and lowers the GET from 4 percent to 2 percent.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1665

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to the general excise tax.

 

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

SECTION 1. Section 237-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

"(a) "Wholesaler" or "jobber" applies only to a person making sales at wholesale. Only the following are sales at wholesale:

(1) Sales to a licensed retail merchant, jobber, or other licensed seller for purposes of resale;

(2) Sales to a licensed manufacturer of materials or commodities that are to be incorporated by the manufacturer into a finished or saleable product (including the container or package in which the product is contained) during the course of its preservation, manufacture, or processing, including preparation for market, and that will remain in such finished or saleable product in such form as to be perceptible to the senses, which finished or saleable product is to be sold and not otherwise used by the manufacturer;

(3) Sales to a licensed producer or cooperative association of materials or commodities that are to be incorporated by the producer or by the cooperative association into a finished or saleable product that is to be sold and not otherwise used by the producer or cooperative association, including specifically materials or commodities expended as essential to the planting, growth, nurturing, and production of commodities that are sold by the producer or by the cooperative association;

(4) Sales to a licensed contractor, of materials or commodities that are to be incorporated by the contractor into the finished work or project required by the contract and that will remain in such finished work or project in such form as to be perceptible to the senses;

(5) Sales to a licensed producer, or to a cooperative association described in section 237-23(a)(7) for sale to a licensed producer, or to a licensed person operating a feed lot, of poultry or animal feed, hatching eggs, semen, replacement stock, breeding services for the purpose of raising or producing animal or poultry products for disposition as described in section 237-5 or for incorporation into a manufactured product as described in paragraph (2) or for the purpose of breeding, hatching, milking, or egg laying other than for the customer's own consumption of the meat, poultry, eggs, or milk so produced; provided that in the case of a feed lot operator, only the segregated cost of the feed furnished by the feed lot operator as part of the feed lot operator's service to a licensed producer of poultry or animals to be butchered or to a cooperative association described in section 237-23(a)(7) of such licensed producers shall be deemed to be a sale at wholesale; and provided further that any amount derived from the furnishing of feed lot services, other than the segregated cost of feed, shall be deemed taxable at the service business rate. This paragraph shall not apply to the sale of feed for poultry or animals to be used for hauling, transportation, or sports purposes;

(6) Sales to a licensed producer, or to a cooperative association described in section 237-23(a)(7) for sale to the producer, of seed or seedstock for producing agricultural and aquacultural products, or bait for catching fish (including the catching of bait for catching fish), which agricultural and aquacultural products or fish are to be disposed of as described in section 237-5 or to be incorporated in a manufactured product as described in paragraph (2);

(7) Sales to a licensed producer, or to a cooperative association described in section 237-23(a)(7) for sale to such producer; of polypropylene shade cloth; of polyfilm; of polyethylene film; of cartons and such other containers, wrappers, and sacks, and binders to be used for packaging eggs, vegetables, fruits, and other agricultural and aquacultural products; of seedlings and cuttings for producing nursery plants or aquacultural products; or of chick containers; which cartons and such other containers, wrappers, and sacks, binders, seedlings, cuttings, and containers are to be used as described in section 237-5, or to be incorporated in a manufactured product as described in paragraph (2);

(8) Sales of tangible personal property:

(A) To a licensed seller engaged in a service business or calling; provided that:

(i) The property is not consumed or incidental to the performance of the services;

(ii) There is a resale of the article at the retail rate of [four] two per cent; and

(iii) The resale of the article is separately charged or billed by the person rendering the services;

(B) Where:

(i) Tangible personal property is sold upon the order or request of a licensed seller for the purpose of rendering a service in the course of the person's service business or calling, or upon the order or request of a person subject to tax under section 237D-2 for the purpose of furnishing transient accommodations;

(ii) The tangible personal property becomes or is used as an identifiable element of the service rendered; and

(iii) The cost of the tangible personal property does not constitute overhead to the licensed seller;

the sale shall be subject to section 237-13.3; or

(C) Where the taxpayer is subject to both subparagraphs (A) and (B), then the taxpayer shall be taxed under subparagraph (A). Subparagraphs (A) and (C) shall be repealed on January 1, 2006;

(9) Sales to a licensed leasing company of capital goods that have a depreciable life, are purchased by the leasing company for lease to its customers, and are thereafter leased as a service to others;

(10) Sales of services to a licensed seller engaging in a business or calling whenever:

(A) Either:

(i) In the context of a service-to-service transaction, a service is rendered upon the order or request of a licensed seller for the purpose of rendering another service in the course of the seller's service business or calling;

(ii) In the context of a service-to-tangible personal property transaction, a service is rendered upon the order or request of a licensed seller for the purpose of manufacturing, producing, or preparing tangible personal property to be sold;

(iii) In the context of a services-to-contracting transaction, a service is rendered upon the order or request of a licensed contractor as defined in section 237-6 for the purpose of assisting that licensed contractor; or

(iv) In the context of a services-to-transient accommodations rental transaction, a service is rendered upon the order or request of a person subject to tax under section 237D-2 for the purpose of furnishing transient accommodations;

(B) The benefit of the service passes to the customer of the licensed seller, licensed contractor, or person furnishing transient accommodations as an identifiable element of the other service or property to be sold, the contracting, or the furnishing of transient accommodations;

(C) The cost of the service does not constitute overhead to the licensed seller, licensed contractor, or person furnishing transient accommodations;

(D) The gross income of the licensed seller is not divided between the licensed seller and another licensed seller, contractor, or person furnishing transient accommodations for imposition of the tax under this chapter;

(E) The gross income of the licensed seller is not subject to a deduction under this chapter or chapter 237D; and

(F) The resale of the service, tangible personal property, contracting, or transient accommodations is subject to the tax imposed under this chapter at the highest tax rate.

Sales subject to this paragraph shall be subject to section 237-13.3;

(11) Sales to a licensed retail merchant, jobber, or other licensed seller of bulk condiments or prepackaged single-serving packets of condiments that are provided to customers by the licensed retail merchant, jobber, or other licensed seller;

(12) Sales to a licensed retail merchant, jobber, or other licensed seller of tangible personal property that will be incorporated or processed by the licensed retail merchant, jobber, or other licensed seller into a finished or saleable product during the course of its preparation for market (including disposable, nonreturnable containers, packages, or wrappers, in which the product is contained and that are generally known and most commonly used to contain food or beverage for transfer or delivery), and which finished or saleable product is to be sold and not otherwise used by the licensed retail merchant, jobber, or other licensed seller;

(13) Sales of amusements subject to taxation under section 237-13(4) to a licensed seller engaging in a business or calling whenever:

(A) Either:

(i) In the context of an amusement-to-service transaction, an amusement is rendered upon the order or request of a licensed seller for the purpose of rendering another service in the course of the seller's service business or calling;

(ii) In the context of an amusement-to-tangible personal property transaction, an amusement is rendered upon the order or request of a licensed seller for the purpose of selling tangible personal property; or

(iii) In the context of an amusement-to-amusement transaction, an amusement is rendered upon the order or request of a licensed seller for the purpose of rendering another amusement in the course of the person's amusement business;

(B) The benefit of the amusement passes to the customer of the licensed seller as an identifiable element of the other service, tangible personal property to be sold, or amusement;

(C) The cost of the amusement does not constitute overhead to the licensed seller;

(D) The gross income of the licensed seller is not divided between the licensed seller and another licensed seller, person furnishing transient accommodations, or person rendering an amusement for imposition of the tax under chapter 237;

(E) The gross income of the licensed seller is not subject to a deduction under this chapter; and

(F) The resale of the service, tangible personal property, or amusement is subject to the tax imposed under this chapter at the highest rate.

As used in this paragraph, "amusement" means entertainment provided as part of a show for which there is an admission charge. Sales subject to this paragraph shall be subject to section 237-13.3; and

(14) Sales by a printer to a publisher of magazines or similar printed materials containing advertisements, when the publisher is under contract with the advertisers to distribute a minimum number of magazines or similar printed materials to the public or defined segment of the public, whether or not there is a charge to the persons who actually receive the magazines or similar printed materials."

SECTION 2. Section 237-13, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§237-13 Imposition of tax. There is hereby levied and shall be assessed and collected annually privilege taxes against persons on account of their business and other activities in the State measured by the application of rates against values of products, gross proceeds of sales, or gross income, whichever is specified, as follows:

(1) Tax on manufacturers.

(A) Upon every person engaging or continuing within the State in the business of manufacturing, including compounding, canning, preserving, packing, printing, publishing, milling, processing, refining, or preparing for sale, profit, or commercial use, either directly or through the activity of others, in whole or in part, any article or articles, substance or substances, commodity or commodities, the amount of the tax to be equal to the value of the articles, substances, or commodities, manufactured, compounded, canned, preserved, packed, printed, milled, processed, refined, or prepared for sale, as shown by the gross proceeds derived from the sale thereof by the manufacturer or person compounding, preparing, or printing them, multiplied by one-half of one per cent.

(B) The measure of the tax on manufacturers is the value of the entire product for sale, regardless of the place of sale or the fact that deliveries may be made to points outside the State.

(C) If any person liable for the tax on manufacturers ships or transports the person's product, or any part thereof, out of the State, whether in a finished or unfinished condition, or sells the same for delivery to points outside the State (for example, consigned to a mainland purchaser via common carrier f.o.b. Honolulu), the value of the products in the condition or form in which they exist immediately before entering interstate or foreign commerce, determined as hereinafter provided, shall be the basis for the assessment of the tax imposed by this paragraph. This tax shall be due and payable as of the date of entry of the products into interstate or foreign commerce, whether the products are then sold or not. The department shall determine the basis for assessment, as provided by this paragraph, as follows:

(i) If the products at the time of their entry into interstate or foreign commerce already have been sold, the gross proceeds of sale, less the transportation expenses, if any, incurred in realizing the gross proceeds for transportation from the time of entry of the products into interstate or foreign commerce, including insurance and storage in transit, shall be the measure of the value of the products;

(ii) If the products have not been sold at the time of their entry into interstate or foreign commerce, and in cases governed by clause (i) in which the products are sold under circumstances such that the gross proceeds of sale are not indicative of the true value of the products, the value of the products constituting the basis for assessment shall correspond as nearly as possible to the gross proceeds of sales for delivery outside the State, adjusted as provided in clause (i), or if sufficient data are not available, sales in the State, of similar products of like quality and character and in similar quantities, made by the taxpayer (unless not indicative of the true value) or by others. Sales outside the State, adjusted as provided in clause (i), may be considered when they constitute the best available data. The department shall prescribe uniform and equitable rules for ascertaining the values;

(iii) At the election of the taxpayer and with the approval of the department, the taxpayer may make the taxpayer's returns under clause (i) even though the products have not been sold at the time of their entry into interstate or foreign commerce; and

(iv) In all cases in which products leave the State in an unfinished condition, the basis for assessment shall be adjusted so as to deduct the portion of the value as is attributable to the finishing of the goods outside the State.

(2) Tax on business of selling tangible personal property; producing.

(A) Upon every person engaging or continuing in the business of selling any tangible personal property whatsoever (not including, however, bonds or other evidence of indebtedness, or stocks), there is likewise hereby levied, and shall be assessed and collected, a tax equivalent to [four] two per cent of the gross proceeds of sales of the business; provided that insofar as certain retailing is taxed by section 237-16, the tax shall be that levied by section 237-16, and in the case of a wholesaler, the tax shall be equal to one-half of one per cent of the gross proceeds of sales of the business; provided that insofar as the sale of tangible personal property is a wholesale sale under section 237-4(a)(8)(B), the sale shall be subject to section 237-13.3. Upon every person engaging or continuing within this State in the business of a producer, the tax shall be equal to one-half of one per cent of the gross proceeds of sales of the business, or the value of the products, for sale, if sold for delivery outside the State or shipped or transported out of the State, and the value of the products shall be determined in the same manner as the value of manufactured products covered in the cases under paragraph (1)(C).

(B) Gross proceeds of sales of tangible property in interstate and foreign commerce shall constitute a part of the measure of the tax imposed on persons in the business of selling tangible personal property, to the extent, under the conditions, and in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the United States and the Acts of the Congress of the United States which may be now in force or may be hereafter adopted, and whenever there occurs in the State an activity to which, under the Constitution and Acts of Congress, there may be attributed gross proceeds of sales, the gross proceeds shall be so attributed.

(C) No manufacturer or producer, engaged in such business in the State and selling the manufacturer's or producer's products for delivery outside of the State (for example, consigned to a mainland purchaser via common carrier f.o.b. Honolulu), shall be required to pay the tax imposed in this chapter for the privilege of so selling the products, and the value or gross proceeds of sales of the products shall be included only in determining the measure of the tax imposed upon the manufacturer or producer.

(D) When a manufacturer or producer, engaged in such business in the State, also is engaged in selling the manufacturer's or producer's products in the State at wholesale, retail, or in any other manner, the tax for the privilege of engaging in the business of selling the products in the State shall apply to the manufacturer or producer as well as the tax for the privilege of manufacturing or producing in the State, and the manufacturer or producer shall make the returns of the gross proceeds of the wholesale, retail, or other sales required for the privilege of selling in the State, as well as making the returns of the value or gross proceeds of sales of the products required for the privilege of manufacturing or producing in the State. The manufacturer or producer shall pay the tax imposed in this chapter for the privilege of selling its products in the State, and the value or gross proceeds of sales of the products, thus subjected to tax, may be deducted insofar as duplicated as to the same products by the measure of the tax upon the manufacturer or producer for the privilege of manufacturing or producing in the State; provided that no producer of agricultural products who sells the products to a purchaser who will process the products outside the State shall be required to pay the tax imposed in this chapter for the privilege of producing or selling those products.

(E) A taxpayer selling to a federal cost-plus contractor may make the election provided for by paragraph (3)(C), and in that case the tax shall be computed pursuant to the election, notwithstanding this paragraph or paragraph (1) to the contrary.

(F) The department, by rule, may require that a seller take from the purchaser of tangible personal property a certificate, in a form prescribed by the department, certifying that the sale is a sale at wholesale; provided that:

(i) Any purchaser who furnishes a certificate shall be obligated to pay to the seller, upon demand, the amount of the additional tax that is imposed upon the seller whenever the sale in fact is not at wholesale; and

(ii) The absence of a certificate in itself shall give rise to the presumption that the sale is not at wholesale unless the sales of the business are exclusively at wholesale.

(3) Tax upon contractors.

(A) Upon every person engaging or continuing within the State in the business of contracting, the tax shall be equal to [four] two per cent of the gross income of the business; provided that insofar as the business of contracting is taxed by section 237-16, which relates to certain retailing, the tax shall be that levied by section 237-16.

(B) In computing the tax levied under this paragraph or section 237-16, there shall be deducted from the gross income of the taxpayer so much thereof as has been included in the measure of the tax levied under subparagraph (A) or section 237-16, on:

(i) Another taxpayer who is a contractor, as defined in section 237-6;

(ii) A specialty contractor, duly licensed by the department of commerce and consumer affairs pursuant to section 444-9, in respect of the specialty contractor's business; or

(iii) A specialty contractor who is not licensed by the department of commerce and consumer affairs pursuant to section 444-9, but who performs contracting activities on federal military installations and nowhere else in this State;

provided that any person claiming a deduction under this paragraph shall be required to show in the person's return the name and general excise number of the person paying the tax on the amount deducted by the person.

(C) In computing the tax levied under this paragraph against any federal cost-plus contractor, there shall be excluded from the gross income of the contractor so much thereof as fulfills the following requirements:

(i) The gross income exempted shall constitute reimbursement of costs incurred for materials, plant, or equipment purchased from a taxpayer licensed under this chapter, not exceeding the gross proceeds of sale of the taxpayer on account of the transaction; and

(ii) The taxpayer making the sale shall have certified to the department that the taxpayer is taxable with respect to the gross proceeds of the sale, and that the taxpayer elects to have the tax on gross income computed the same as upon a sale to the state government.

(D) A person who, as a business or as a part of a business in which the person is engaged, erects, constructs, or improves any building or structure, of any kind or description, or makes, constructs, or improves any road, street, sidewalk, sewer, or water system, or other improvements on land held by the person (whether held as a leasehold, fee simple, or otherwise), upon the sale or other disposition of the land or improvements, even if the work was not done pursuant to a contract, shall be liable to the same tax as if engaged in the business of contracting, unless the person shows that at the time the person was engaged in making the improvements the person intended, and for the period of at least one year after completion of the building, structure, or other improvements the person continued to intend to hold and not sell or otherwise dispose of the land or improvements. The tax in respect of the improvements shall be measured by the amount of the proceeds of the sale or other disposition that is attributable to the erection, construction, or improvement of such building or structure, or the making, constructing, or improving of the road, street, sidewalk, sewer, or water system, or other improvements. The measure of tax in respect of the improvements shall not exceed the amount which would have been taxable had the work been performed by another, subject as in other cases to the deductions allowed by subparagraph (B). Upon the election of the taxpayer, this paragraph may be applied notwithstanding that the improvements were not made by the taxpayer, or were not made as a business or as a part of a business, or were made with the intention of holding the same. However, this paragraph shall not apply in respect of any proceeds that constitute or are in the nature of rent; all such gross income shall be taxable under paragraph (9); provided that insofar as the business of renting or leasing real property under a lease is taxed under section 237-16.5, the tax shall be levied by section 237-16.5.

(4) Tax upon theaters, amusements, radio broadcasting stations, etc.

(A) Upon every person engaging or continuing within the State in the business of operating a theater, opera house, moving picture show, vaudeville, amusement park, dance hall, skating rink, radio broadcasting station, or any other place at which amusements are offered to the public, the tax shall be equal to [four] two per cent of the gross income of the business, and in the case of a sale of an amusement at wholesale under section 237-4(a)(13), the tax shall be subject to section 237-13.3.

(B) The department may require that the person rendering an amusement at wholesale take from the licensed seller a certificate, in a form prescribed by the department, certifying that the sale is a sale at wholesale; provided that:

(i) Any licensed seller who furnishes a certificate shall be obligated to pay to the person rendering the amusement, upon demand, the amount of additional tax that is imposed upon the seller whenever the sale is not at wholesale; and

(ii) The absence of a certificate in itself shall give rise to the presumption that the sale is not at wholesale unless the person rendering the sale is exclusively rendering the amusement at wholesale.

(5) Tax upon sales representatives, etc. Upon every person classified as a representative or purchasing agent under section 237-1, engaging or continuing within the State in the business of performing services for another, other than as an employee, there is likewise hereby levied and shall be assessed and collected a tax equal to [four] two per cent of the commissions and other compensation attributable to the services so rendered by the person.

(6) Tax on service business.

(A) Upon every person engaging or continuing within the State in any service business or calling including professional services not otherwise specifically taxed under this chapter, there is likewise hereby levied and shall be assessed and collected a tax equal to [four] two per cent of the gross income of the business, and in the case of a wholesaler under section 237-4(a)(10), the tax shall be equal to one-half of one per cent of the gross income of the business. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a wholesaler under section 237-4(a)(10) shall be subject to section 237-13.3.

(B) The department may require that the person rendering a service at wholesale take from the licensed seller a certificate, in a form prescribed by the department, certifying that the sale is a sale at wholesale; provided that:

(i) Any licensed seller who furnishes a certificate shall be obligated to pay to the person rendering the service, upon demand, the amount of additional tax that is imposed upon the seller whenever the sale is not at wholesale; and

(ii) The absence of a certificate in itself shall give rise to the presumption that the sale is not at wholesale unless the person rendering the sale is exclusively rendering services at wholesale.

(C) Where any person engaging or continuing within the State in any service business or calling renders those services upon the order of or at the request of another taxpayer who is engaged in the service business and who, in fact, acts as or acts in the nature of an intermediary between the person rendering those services and the ultimate recipient of the benefits of those services, so much of the gross income as is received by the person rendering the services shall be subjected to the tax at the rate of one-half of one per cent and all of the gross income received by the intermediary from the principal shall be subjected to a tax at the rate of [four] two per cent. Where the taxpayer is subject to both this subparagraph and to the lowest tax rate under subparagraph (A), the taxpayer shall be taxed under this subparagraph. This subparagraph shall be repealed on January 1, 2006.

(D) Where any person is engaged in the business of selling interstate or foreign common carrier telecommunication services within and without the State, other than as a home service provider, the tax shall be imposed on that portion of gross income received by a person from service which is originated or terminated in this State and is charged to a telephone number, customer, or account in this State notwithstanding any other state law (except for the exemption under section 237-23(a)(1)) to the contrary. If, under the Constitution and laws of the United States, the entire gross income as determined under this paragraph of a business selling interstate or foreign common carrier telecommunication services cannot be included in the measure of the tax, the gross income shall be apportioned as provided in section 237-21; provided that the apportionment factor and formula shall be the same for all persons providing those services in the State.

(E) Where any person is engaged in the business of a home service provider, the tax shall be imposed on the gross income received or derived from providing interstate or foreign mobile telecommunications services to a customer with a place of primary use in this State when such services originate in one state and terminate in another state, territory, or foreign country; provided that all charges for mobile telecommunications services which are billed by or for the home service provider are deemed to be provided by the home service provider at the customer's place of primary use, regardless of where the mobile telecommunications originate, terminate, or pass through; provided further that the income from charges specifically derived from interstate or foreign mobile telecommunications services, as determined by books and records that are kept in the regular course of business by the home service provider in accordance with section 239-24, shall be apportioned under any apportionment factor or formula adopted under section 237-13(6)(D). Gross income shall not include:

(i) Gross receipts from mobile telecommunications services provided to a customer with a place of primary use outside this State;

(ii) Gross receipts from mobile telecommunications services that are subject to the tax imposed by chapter 239;

(iii) Gross receipts from mobile telecommunications services taxed under section 237-13.8; and

(iv) Gross receipts of a home service provider acting as a serving carrier providing mobile telecommunications services to another home service provider's customer.

For the purposes of this paragraph, "charges for mobile telecommunications services", "customer", "home service provider", "mobile telecommunications services", "place of primary use", and "serving carrier" have the same meaning as in section 239-22.

(7) Tax on insurance solicitors and agents. Upon every person engaged as a licensed solicitor, general agent, or subagent pursuant to chapter 431, there is hereby levied and shall be assessed and collected a tax equal to .15 per cent of the commissions due to that activity.

(8) Tax on receipts of sugar benefit payments. Upon the amounts received from the United States government by any producer of sugar (or the producer's legal representative or heirs), as defined under and by virtue of the Sugar Act of 1948, as amended, or other Acts of the Congress of the United States relating thereto, there is hereby levied a tax of one-half of one per cent of the gross amount received; provided that the tax levied hereunder on any amount so received and actually disbursed to another by a producer in the form of a benefit payment shall be paid by the person or persons to whom the amount is actually disbursed, and the producer actually making a benefit payment to another shall be entitled to claim on the producer's return a deduction from the gross amount taxable hereunder in the sum of the amount so disbursed. The amounts taxed under this paragraph shall not be taxable under any other paragraph, subsection, or section of this chapter.

(9) Tax on other business. Upon every person engaging or continuing within the State in any business, trade, activity, occupation, or calling not included in the preceding paragraphs or any other provisions of this chapter, there is likewise hereby levied and shall be assessed and collected, a tax equal to [four] two per cent of the gross income thereof. In addition, the rate prescribed by this paragraph shall apply to a business taxable under one or more of the preceding paragraphs or other provisions of this chapter, as to any gross income thereof not taxed thereunder as gross income or gross proceeds of sales or by taxing an equivalent value of products, unless specifically exempted."

SECTION 3. Section 237-15, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§237-15 Technicians. When technicians supply dentists or physicians with dentures, orthodontic devices, braces, and similar items which have been prepared by the technician in accordance with specifications furnished by the dentist or physician, and such items are to be used by the dentist or physician in the dentist's or physician's professional practice for a particular patient who is to pay the dentist or physician for the same as a part of the dentist's or physician's professional services, the technician shall be taxed as though the technician were a manufacturer selling a product to a licensed retailer, rather than at the rate of [four] two per cent which is generally applied to professions and services."

SECTION 4. Section 237-16, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:

1. By amending subsection (b) to read:

"(b) There is hereby levied, and shall be assessed and collected annually, a privilege tax against persons engaging or continuing within the State in the retailing to which this section relates, on account of such retailing activities, as set forth in subsection (a), equal to [four] two per cent of the gross proceeds of sale or gross income received or derived from such retailing. Persons on whom a tax is imposed by this section hereinafter are called "retailers"."

2. By amending subsection (d) to read:

"(d) This section shall not cause the tax upon a taxpayer, with respect to any item of the taxpayer's gross income, to exceed [four] two per cent."

SECTION 5. Section 237-16.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:

1. By amending subsection (a) to read:

"(a) This section relates to the leasing of real property by a lessor to a lessee. There is hereby levied, and shall be assessed and collected annually, a privilege tax against persons engaging or continuing within the State in the business of leasing real property to another, equal to [four] two per cent of the gross proceeds or gross income received or derived from the leasing; provided that where real property is subleased by a lessee to a sublessee, the lessee, as provided in this section, shall be allowed a deduction from the amount of gross proceeds or gross income received from its sublease of the real property. The deduction shall be in the amount allowed under this section.

All deductions under this section and the name and general excise tax number of the lessee's lessor shall be reported on the general excise tax return. Any deduction allowed under this section shall only be allowed with respect to leases and subleases in writing and relating to the same real property."

2. By amending subsection (f) to read:

"(f) This section shall not cause the tax upon a lessor, with respect to any item of the lessor's gross proceeds or gross income, to exceed [four] two per cent."

SECTION 6. Section 237-18, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (f) to read as follows:

"(f) Where tourism related services are furnished through arrangements made by a travel agency or tour packager and the gross income is divided between the provider of the services and the travel agency or tour packager, the tax imposed by this chapter shall apply to each such person with respect to such person's respective portion of the proceeds, and no more.

As used in this subsection "tourism related services" means catamaran cruises, canoe rides, dinner cruises, lei greetings, transportation included in a tour package, sightseeing tours not subject to chapter 239, admissions to luaus, dinner shows, extravaganzas, cultural and educational facilities, and other services rendered directly to the customer or tourist, but only if the providers of the services other than air transportation are subject to a [four] two per cent tax under this chapter or chapter 239."

SECTION 7. Section 237-23, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§237-23 Exemptions, persons exempt, applications for exemption. (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; and

(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.

(b) The exemptions enumerated in subsection (a)(3) to (6) shall apply only:

(1) To those persons who shall have registered with the department of taxation by filing a written application for registration in such form as the department shall prescribe, shall have paid the registration fee of $20, and shall have had the exemption allowed by the department or by a court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction upon appeal from any assessment resulting from disallowance of the exemption by the department;

(2) To activities from which no profit inures to the benefit of any private stockholder or individual, except for death or other benefits to the members of fraternal societies; and

(3) To the fraternal, religious, charitable, scientific, educational, communal, or social welfare activities of such persons, or to the activities of such hospitals, infirmaries, and sanitaria as such, 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 furtherance of the exempt activities of such persons.

(c) To obtain allowance of an exemption:

(1) A person under subsection (a)(3) to (6), who has received or applied for recognition of tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3), (4), (6), or (8) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or who is a subordinate person of a person who has received a group exemption letter under section 501(c)(3), (4), (6), or (8) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, shall register with the department by filing a statement attaching a copy of the exemption or application for recognition of exempt status and any particular facts that the department may require; and

(2) All other persons under subsection (a)(3) to (6) shall file an application for exemption in the form of an affidavit or affidavits setting forth in general all facts affecting the right to the exemption and such particular facts as the department may require, to which shall be attached such records, papers, and other information as the department may prescribe.

(d) For all persons, the statement registering the person with the department or application for exemption shall be filed on or before March 31 of the first year of registration or within three months after the commencement of business. In the event of allowance of the exemption, no further statement or application therefor need be filed unless there is a material change in the facts. In the event of disallowance of the exemption, a license may be obtained upon payment of the required fee as provided by section 237-9, less the $20 already paid under this section, which shall be credited thereon. In the event the registrant has a license under this chapter, no further fee shall be required for registration under this section.

(e) The department for good cause may extend the time for registration or the time for filing an application for exemption]."

SECTION 8. Section 237-24, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§237-24 Amounts not taxable. This chapter shall not apply to the following amounts:

[(1) Amounts received under life insurance policies and contracts paid by reason of the death of the insured;

(2) Amounts received (other than amounts paid by reason of death of the insured) under life insurance, endowment, or annuity contracts, either during the term or at maturity or upon surrender of the contract;

(3) Amounts received under any accident insurance or health insurance policy or contract or under workers' compensation acts or employers' liability acts, as compensation for personal injuries, death, or sickness, including also the amount of any damages or other compensation received, whether as a result of action or by private agreement between the parties on account of the personal injuries, death, or sickness;

(4) The value of all property of every kind and sort acquired by gift, bequest, or devise, and the value of all property acquired by descent or inheritance;

(5) Amounts received by any person as compensatory damages for any tort injury to the person, or to the person's character reputation, or received as compensatory damages for any tort injury to or destruction of property, whether as the result of action or by private agreement between the parties (provided that amounts received as punitive damages for tort injury or breach of contract injury shall be included in gross income);

(6)] (1) Amounts received as salaries or wages for services rendered by an employee to an employer;

[(7) Amounts received as alimony and other similar payments and settlements;

(8)] (2) Amounts collected by distributors as fuel taxes on "liquid fuel" imposed by chapter 243, and the amounts collected by such distributors as a fuel tax imposed by any Act of the Congress of the United States;

[(9)] (3) Taxes on liquor imposed by chapter 244D on dealers holding permits under that chapter;

[(10)] (4) The amounts of taxes on cigarettes and tobacco products imposed by chapter 245 on wholesalers or dealers holding licenses under that chapter and selling the products at wholesale;

[(11)] (5) Federal excise taxes imposed on articles sold at retail and collected from the purchasers thereof and paid to the federal government by the retailer;

[(12)] (6) The amounts of federal taxes under chapter 37 of the Internal Revenue Code, or similar federal taxes, imposed on sugar manufactured in the State, paid by the manufacturer to the federal government;

[(13) An amount up to, but not in excess of, $2,000 a year of gross income received by any blind, deaf, or totally disabled person engaging, or continuing, in any business, trade, activity, occupation, or calling within the State; a corporation all of whose outstanding shares are owned by an individual or individuals who are blind, deaf, or totally disabled; a general, limited, or limited liability partnership, all of whose partners are blind, deaf, or totally disabled; or a limited liability company, all of whose members are blind, deaf, or totally disabled.

(14)] (7) Amounts received by a producer of sugarcane from the manufacturer to whom the producer sells the sugarcane, where:

(A) The producer is an independent cane farmer, so classed by the Secretary of Agriculture under the Sugar Act of 1948 (61 Stat. 922, Chapter 519) as the Act may be amended or supplemented;

(B) The value or gross proceeds of sale of the sugar, and other products manufactured from the sugarcane, is included in the measure of the tax levied on the manufacturer under section 237-13(1) or 237-13(2);

(C) The producer's gross proceeds of sales are dependent upon the actual value of the products manufactured therefrom or the average value of all similar products manufactured by the manufacturer; and

(D) The producer's gross proceeds of sales are reduced by reason of the tax on the value or sale of the manufactured products;

(15) (8) Money paid by the State or eleemosynary child- placing organizations to foster parents for their care of children in foster homes; [and

(16) Amounts received by a cooperative housing corporation from its shareholders in reimbursement of funds paid by such corporation for lease rental, real property taxes, and other expenses of operating and maintaining the cooperative land and improvements; provided that such a cooperative corporation is a corporation:

(A) Having one and only one class of stock outstanding;

(B) Each of the stockholders of which is entitled solely by reason of the stockholder's ownership of stock in the corporation, to occupy for dwelling purposes a house, or an apartment in a building owned or leased by the corporation; and

(C) No stockholder of which is entitled (either conditionally or unconditionally) to receive any distribution not out of earnings and profits of the corporation except in a complete or partial liquidation of the corporation.]

(9) Amounts received from sales of:

(A) Intoxicating liquor as the term "liquor" is defined in chapter 244D; and

(B) Cigarettes and tobacco products as defined in chapter 245;

(C) Agricultural, meat, or fish products grown, raised, or caught in Hawaii, to any person or common carrier in interstate or foreign commerce, or both, whether ocean-going or air, for consumption out-of-state on the shipper's vessels or airplanes;

(10) Taxes on transient accommodations imposed by chapter 237D and passed on and collected by operators holding certificates of registration under that chapter;

(11) Surcharge taxes on rental motor vehicles imposed by chapter 251 and passed on and collected by persons holding certificates of registration under that chapter; and

(12) Taxes on nursing facility income imposed by chapter 346E and passed on and collected by operators of nursing facilities."

SECTION 9. Section 237-24.3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

["§237-24.3 Additional amounts not taxable. In addition to the amounts not taxable under section 237-24, this chapter shall not apply to:

(1) Amounts received from the loading, transportation, and unloading of agricultural commodities shipped for a producer or produce dealer on one island of this State to a person, firm, or organization on another island of this State. The terms "agricultural commodity", "producer", and "produce dealer" shall be defined in the same manner as they are defined in section 147-1; provided that agricultural commodities need not have been produced in the State;

(2) Amounts received from sales of:

(A) Intoxicating liquor as the term "liquor" is defined in chapter 244D;

(B) Cigarettes and tobacco products as defined in chapter 245; and

(C) Agricultural, meat, or fish products grown, raised, or caught in Hawaii, to any person or common carrier in interstate or foreign commerce, or both, whether ocean-going or air, for consumption out-of-state on the shipper's vessels or airplanes;

(3) Amounts received by the manager or board of directors of:

(A) An association of apartment owners of a condominium property regime established in accordance with chapter 514A; or

(B) A nonprofit homeowners or community association incorporated in accordance with chapter 414D or any predecessor thereto and existing pursuant to covenants running with the land,

in reimbursement of sums paid for common expenses;

(4) Amounts received or accrued from:

(A) The loading or unloading of cargo from ships, barges, vessels, or aircraft, whether or not the ships, barges, vessels, or aircraft travel between the State and other states or countries or between the islands of the State;

(B) Tugboat services including pilotage fees performed within the State, and the towage of ships, barges, or vessels in and out of state harbors, or from one pier to another; and

(C) The transportation of pilots or governmental officials to ships, barges, or vessels offshore; rigging gear; checking freight and similar services; standby charges; and use of moorings and running mooring lines;

(5) Amounts received by an employee benefit plan by way of contributions, dividends, interest, and other income; and amounts received by a nonprofit organization or office, as payments for costs and expenses incurred for the administration of an employee benefit plan; provided that this exemption shall not apply to any gross rental income or gross rental proceeds received after June 30, 1994, as income from investments in real property in this State; and provided further that gross rental income or gross rental proceeds from investments in real property received by an employee benefit plan after June 30, 1994, under written contracts executed prior to July 1, 1994, shall not be taxed until the contracts are renegotiated, renewed, or extended, or until after December 31, 1998, whichever is earlier. For the purposes of this paragraph, "employee benefit plan" means any plan as defined in section 1002(3) of title 29 of the United States Code, as amended;

(6) Amounts received for purchases made with United States Department of Agriculture food coupons under the federal food stamp program, and amounts received for purchases made with United States Department of Agriculture food vouchers under the Special Supplemental Foods Program for Women, Infants and Children;

(7) Amounts received by a hospital, infirmary, medical clinic, health care facility, pharmacy, or a practitioner licensed to administer the drug to an individual for selling prescription drugs or prosthetic devices to an individual; provided that this paragraph shall not apply to any amounts received for services provided in selling prescription drugs or prosthetic devices. As used in this paragraph:

(A) "Prescription drugs" are those drugs defined under section 328-1 and dispensed by filling or refilling a written or oral prescription by a practitioner licensed under law to administer the drug and sold by a licensed pharmacist under section 328-16 or practitioners licensed to administer drugs; and

(B) "Prosthetic device" means any artificial device or appliance, instrument, apparatus, or contrivance, including their components, parts, accessories, and replacements thereof, used to replace a missing or surgically removed part of the human body, which is prescribed by a licensed practitioner of medicine, osteopathy, or podiatry and which is sold by the practitioner or which is dispensed and sold by a dealer of prosthetic devices; provided that "prosthetic device" shall not mean any auditory, ophthalmic, dental, or ocular device or appliance, instrument, apparatus, or contrivance;

(8) Taxes on transient accommodations imposed by chapter 237D and passed on and collected by operators holding certificates of registration under that chapter;

(9) Amounts received as dues by an unincorporated merchants association from its membership for advertising media, promotional, and advertising costs for the promotion of the association for the benefit of its members as a whole and not for the benefit of an individual member or group of members less than the entire membership;

(10) Amounts received by a labor organization for real property leased to:

(A) A labor organization; or

(B) A trust fund established by a labor organization for the benefit of its members, families, and dependents for medical or hospital care, pensions on retirement or death of employees, apprenticeship and training, and other membership service programs.

As used in this paragraph, "labor organization" means a labor organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended;

(11) Amounts received from foreign diplomats and consular officials who are holding cards issued or authorized by the United States Department of State granting them an exemption from state taxes; and

(12) Amounts received as rent for the rental or leasing of aircraft or aircraft engines used by the lessees or renters for interstate air transportation of passengers and goods. For purposes of this paragraph, payments made pursuant to a lease shall be considered rent regardless of whether the lease is an operating lease or a financing lease. The definition of "interstate air transportation" is the same as in 49 U.S.C. 40102."]

SECTION 10. Section 237-24.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

["§237-24.5 Additional exemptions. (a) In addition to the amounts exempt under section 237-24, this chapter shall not apply to amounts received by:

(1) An exchange from:

(A) Transaction fees charged exchange members by the exchange for:

(i) The sale or purchase of securities or products, or both, bought or sold on an exchange by exchange members for their own account or an account for which they have responsibility as an agent, broker, or fiduciary;

(ii) Order book executions made for purposes of effecting transactions; and

(iii) Trade processing performed by an exchange in matching trades, keypunching, record keeping, post cashiering, and notarization;

(B) Membership dues, fees, charges, assessments, and fines from individuals or firms, including charges for firm symbols (member identification), application processing, registration, initiation, membership transfers, floor or post privileges, transaction time extensions, expediting transactions, crossover trades (trading out of assigned functions) and rule infractions;

(C) Service fees charged to members including fees for communications, badges, forms, documents, and reports;

(D) Listing fees and listing maintenance fees charged to companies that wish to be listed and have their securities or products traded on the exchange; and

(E) Participation in the communication United States exchanges or other markets recognized by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, or similar regulatory authorities outside the United States that provides last sale and quote securities information to subscribers or that connects such markets or exchanges for purposes of data transmission;

(2) Exchange members by reason of executing a securities or product transaction on an exchange; provided that this exemption shall apply only to amounts received by exchange members from brokers or dealers registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, from futures commission merchants, brokers, or associates registered with the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, or from similar individuals or firms registered with similar regulatory authorities outside the United States; and

(3) Exchange members as proceeds from the sale of their exchange memberships.

(b) As used in this section:

"Exchange" means an exchange or board of trade as defined in 15 United States Code section 78c(a)(1) or in 7 United States Code section 7, respectively, which is subject to regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Commodities Futures Trading Commission or an organization subject to similar regulation under the laws of a jurisdiction outside the United States.

"Exchange member" means an individual or firm that is qualified by an exchange as a member and pays membership dues to an exchange in order to trade securities or products on an exchange.

"Securities" means securities as defined in 15 United States Code section 78c and "products" means contracts of sale of commodities for future delivery, futures contracts, options, calls, puts, and similar rights as defined in 7 United States Code section 2, which securities or products are permitted to be traded on an exchange."]

SECTION 11. Section 237-24.7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

["§237-24.7 Additional amounts not taxable. In addition to the amounts not taxable under section 237-24, this chapter shall not apply to:

(1) Amounts received by the operator of a hotel from the owner of the hotel in amounts equal to and which are disbursed by the operator for employee wages, salaries, payroll taxes, insurance premiums, and benefits, including retirement, vacation, sick pay, and health benefits. As used in this paragraph:

"Employee" means employees directly engaged in the day-to-day operation of the hotel and employed by the operator.

"Hotel" means an operation as defined in section 445-90.

"Operator" means any person who, pursuant to a written contract with the owner of a hotel, operates or manages the hotel for the owner.

"Owner" means the fee owner or lessee under a recorded lease of a hotel;

(2) Amounts received by the operator of a county transportation system operated under an operating contract with a political subdivision, where the political subdivision is the owner of the county transportation system. As used in this paragraph:

"County transportation system" means a mass transit system of motorized buses providing regularly scheduled transportation within a county.

"Operating contract" or "contract" means a contract to operate and manage a political subdivision's county transportation system, which provides that:

(A) The political subdivision shall exercise substantial control over all aspects of the operator's operation;

(B) The political subdivision controls the development of transit policy, service planning, routes, and fares; and

(C) The operator develops in advance a draft budget in the same format as prescribed for agencies of the political subdivision. The budget must be subject to the same constraints and controls regarding the lawful expenditure of public funds as any public sector agency, and deviations from the budget must be subject to approval by the appropriate political subdivision officials involved in the budgetary process.

"Operator" means any person who, pursuant to an operating contract with a political subdivision, operates or manages a county transportation system.

"Owner" means a political subdivision that owns or is the lessee of all the properties and facilities of the county transportation system (including buses, real estate, parking garages, fuel pumps, maintenance equipment, office supplies, etc.), and that owns all revenues derived therefrom;

(3) Surcharge taxes on rental motor vehicles imposed by chapter 251 and passed on and collected by persons holding certificates of registration under that chapter;

(4) Amounts received by the operator of orchard properties from the owner of the orchard property in amounts equal to and which are disbursed by the operator for employee wages, salaries, payroll taxes, insurance premiums, and benefits, including retirement, vacation, sick pay, and health benefits. As used in this paragraph:

"Employee" means an employee directly engaged in the day-to-day operations of the orchard properties and employed by the operator.

"Operator" means a producer who, pursuant to a written contract with the owner of the orchard property, operates or manages the orchard property for the owner where the property contains an area sufficient to make the undertaking economically feasible.

"Orchard property" means any real property that is used to raise trees with a production life cycle of fifteen years or more producing fruits or nuts having a normal period of development from the initial planting to the first commercially saleable harvest of not less than three years.

"Owner" means a fee owner or lessee under a recorded lease of orchard property;

(5) Taxes on nursing facility income imposed by chapter 346E and passed on and collected by operators of nursing facilities;

(6) Amounts received under property and casualty insurance policies for damage or loss of inventory used in the conduct of a trade or business located within the State or a portion thereof that is declared a natural disaster area by the governor pursuant to section 209-2;

(7) Amounts received as compensation by community organizations, school booster clubs, and nonprofit organizations under a contract with the chief election officer for the provision and compensation of precinct officials and other election-related personnel, services, and activities, pursuant to section 11-5;

(8) Interest received by a person domiciled outside the State from a trust company (as defined in section 412:8-101) acting as payment agent or trustee on behalf of the issuer or payees of an interest bearing instrument or obligation, if the interest would not have been subject to tax under this chapter if paid directly to the person domiciled outside the State without the use of a paying agent or trustee; provided that if the interest would otherwise be taxable under this chapter if paid directly to the person domiciled outside the State, it shall not be exempt solely because of the use of a Hawaii trust company as a paying agent or trustee;

(9) Amounts received by a management company from related entities engaged in the business of selling interstate or foreign common carrier telecommunications services in amounts equal to and which are disbursed by the management company for employee wages, salaries, payroll taxes, insurance premiums, and benefits, including retirement, vacation, sick pay, and health benefits. As used in this paragraph:

"Employee" means employees directly engaged in the day-to-day operation of related entities engaged in the business of selling interstate or foreign common carrier telecommunications services and employed by the management company.

"Management company" means any person who, pursuant to a written contract with a related entity engaged in the business of selling interstate or foreign common carrier telecommunications services, provides managerial or operational services to that entity.

"Related entities" means:

(A) An affiliated group of corporations within the meaning of section 1504 (with respect to affiliated group defined) of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;

(B) A controlled group of corporations within the meaning of section 1563 (with respect to definitions and special rules) of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended;

(C) Those entities connected through ownership of at least eighty per cent of the total value and at least eighty per cent of the total voting power of each such entity (or combination thereof), including partnerships, associations, trusts, S corporations, nonprofit corporations, limited liability partnerships, or limited liability companies; and

(D) Any group or combination of the entities described in paragraph (C) constituting a unitary business for income tax purposes;

whether or not the entity is located within or without the State or licensed under this chapter; and

(10) Amounts received as grants under section 206M-15."]

SECTION 12. Section 237-24.75, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

["[§237-24.75] Additional exemptions. In addition to the amounts exempt under section 237-24, this chapter shall not apply to amounts received as a beverage container deposit collected under chapter 342G, part VIII."]

SECTION 13. Section 237.24.9, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

["§237-24.9 Aircraft service and maintenance facility. (a) This chapter shall not apply to amounts received from the servicing and maintenance of aircraft or from the construction of an aircraft service and maintenance facility in the State.

(b) As used in this section:

"Aircraft" means any craft or artificial contrivance of whatever description engaged in intrastate, interstate, or international scheduled commercial use as defined in chapter 263, that operates with two or more jet engines.

"Aircraft service and maintenance" means all scheduled and unscheduled tasks performed within an aircraft service and maintenance facility for the inspection, modification, maintenance, and repair of aircraft and related components including engines, hydraulic and electrical systems, and all other components which are an integral part of an aircraft.

"Aircraft service and maintenance facility" means a facility for aircraft service and maintenance that is not less than thirty thousand square feet in area, and which may include ancillary space which is integral to the facility, such as parts and inventory warehouse space, tool rooms, and related administrative and employee space.

"Construction of an aircraft service and maintenance facility" means all design, engineering, labor, and material costs associated with the construction of facilities the principle purpose of which is the provision of facilities for aircraft service and maintenance.

"Maintenance" means the upkeep of aircraft engines, hydraulic and electrical systems, and all other components which are an integral part of an aircraft, but does not include refueling, janitorial services or cleaning, restocking of aircraft and passenger supplies, or loading or unloading of cargo and passenger baggage."]

SECTION 14. Section 237-27.1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

["§237-27.1 Exemption of sale of alcohol fuels. (a) There shall be exempted from and excluded from the measure of the taxes imposed by this chapter all of the gross proceeds arising from the sale of alcohol fuels for consumption or use by the purchaser and not for resale.

(b) As used in this section, "alcohol fuels" means neat biomass-derived alcohol liquid fuel or a petroleum-derived fuel and alcohol liquid fuel mixture consisting of at least ten volume per cent denatured biomass-derived alcohol commercially usable as a fuel to power aircraft, seacraft, spacecraft, automobiles, or other motorized vehicles.

(c) The director of taxation shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 necessary to administer this section.

(d) This section shall be repealed on December 31, 2006."]

SECTION 15. Section 237-27.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

["§237-27.5 Air pollution control facility. (a) As used in this section, "air pollution control facility" shall mean a new identifiable treatment facility, equipment, device, or the like, which is used to abate or control atmospheric pollution or contamination by removing, reducing, or rendering less noxious air contaminants emitted into the atmosphere from a point immediately preceding the point of such removal, reduction, or rendering to the point of discharge of air, meeting emission standards as established by the department of health, excluding air conditioner, fan, or other similar facility for the comfort of persons at a place of business.

(b) Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, and upon receipt of the certification required by subsection (c), there shall be exempted from, and excluded from the measure of, the taxes imposed by this chapter, all of the gross proceeds arising from, and all of the amount of tangible personal property furnished in conjunction with, the construction, reconstruction, erection, operation, use, or maintenance of an air pollution control facility.

(c) Application for the exemption provided by this section shall first be made with the director of health who, if satisfied that the facility meets the pollution emission criteria established by the department of health, shall certify to that fact. A new certificate shall be obtained from the director of health and filed with the director of taxation every five years certifying that the pollution control facility complies with the pollutant emission criteria established by the department of health."]

SECTION 16. Section 237-28.1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

["[§237-28.1] Exemption of certain shipbuilding and ship repair business. There shall be exempted from, and excluded from the measure of, the taxes imposed by this chapter all of the gross proceeds arising from shipbuilding and ship repairs rendered to surface vessels federally owned or engaged in interstate or international trade."]

SECTION 17. Section 237-28.2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

["[§237-28.2] Exemption of producers of motion picture or television films. Persons producing motion picture or television films are exempted from taxation on, and there shall be excluded from the measure of all state taxes imposed on such persons for a period of five years from July 1, 1971:

(1) The value of all materials imported in the State for incorporation into such production; and

(2) The value of such production, unless sold in the State, provided film rentals, advertising revenues, gross proceeds of sales, and other receipts, derived from the business of and sales made by such persons in the State shall not be exempt and shall be included in the measure of the tax or taxes imposed on such persons."]

SECTION 18. Section 237-29, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

["§237-29 Exemptions for certified or approved housing projects. (a) All gross income received by any qualified person or firm for the planning, design, financing, construction, sale, or lease in the State of a housing project which has been certified or approved under section 201G-116 shall be exempt from general excise taxes.

(b) All gross income received by a nonprofit or a limited distribution mortgagor for a low and moderate income housing project certified or approved under section 201G-116 shall be exempt from general excise taxes.

(c) The director of taxation and the housing and community development corporation of Hawaii shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 for the purpose of this section, including any time limitation for the exemptions."]

SECTION 19. Section 237-29.65, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

["§237-29.65 Exemption for public Internet data centers. (a) This chapter shall not apply to the gross income or gross proceeds received by a public Internet data center.

(b) As used in this section:

"Compensated use by the public" means use of equipment, maintenance of equipment, and rental of space in a public Internet data center.

"Public Internet data center" means a facility available for compensated use by the public and designed to:

(1) House data servers;

(2) Operate on a twenty-four-hour, seven-day-a-week basis;

(3) Have redundant systems for electricity, air conditioning, fire suppression, and security; and

(4) Provide services such as bandwidth, co-location, data backup, complex web hosting, and aggregation for application service providers.

(c) This section shall apply to gross income or gross proceeds received after June 30, 2001, but not after December 31, 2005."]

SECTION 20. Section 237-29.75, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

["§237-29.75 Exemption for sale of net operating loss by qualified high technology business. Effective January 1, 2001, there shall be exempted from the measure of taxes imposed by this chapter all of the value or gross income derived from the sale of a net operating loss by a qualified high technology business defined in section 235-7.3 or by any partner, member, or shareholder of a qualified high technology business in the case of partnerships, limited liability partnerships, limited liability companies classified as partnerships, and S corporations.

This section shall be repealed on December 31, 2005."]

SECTION 21. Section 237-29.8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

["§237-29.8 Call centers; exemption; engaging in business; definitions. (a) This chapter shall not apply to amounts received from a person operating a call center by a person engaged in business as a telecommunications common carrier for interstate or foreign telecommunications services, including toll-free telecommunications, telecommunications capabilities for electronic mail, voice, and data telecommunications, computerized telephone support, facsimile, wide area telecommunications services, or computer-to-computer communication.

(b) The establishment of a call center in this State by any person shall not be used by itself by the State to find that any other part of the person's business is engaged in business in this State for the purposes of this chapter. Gross income or gross proceeds received by a call center for customer service and support shall be exempt from the measure of taxes imposed by this chapter.

(c) The department, by rule, may provide that the person providing the telecommunications service may take from the person operating a call center a certificate, in a form that the department shall prescribe, certifying that the amounts received for telecommunications services are for operating a call center. If the certificate is required by rule of the department, the absence of the certificate in itself shall give rise to the presumption that the amounts received from the sale of telecommunications services are not for operating a call center.

(d) As used in this section:

"Call center" means a physical or electronic operation that focuses on providing customer service and support for computer hardware and software companies, manufacturing companies, software service organizations, and telecommunications support services, within an organization in which a managed group of individuals spend most of their time engaging in business by telephone, usually working in a computer-automated environment; provided that the operation shall not include telemarketing or sales.

"Customer service and support" means product support, technical assistance, sales support, phone or computer-based configuration assistance, software upgrade help lines, and traditional help desk services.

"Telecommunications common carrier" means any person that owns, operates, manages, or controls any facility used to furnish telecommunications services for profit to the public, or to classes of users as to be effectively available to the public, engaged in the provision of services, such as voice, data, image, graphics, and video services, that make use of all or part of their transmission facilities, switches, broadcast equipment, signalling, or control devices.

"Telecommunications service" or "telecommunications" means the offering of transmission between or among points specified by a user, of information of the user's choosing, including voice, data, image, graphics, and video without change in the form or content of the information, as sent and received, by means of electromagnetic transmission, or other similarly capable means of transmission, with or without benefit of any closed transmission medium.

(e) This section shall not apply to gross proceeds or gross income received after June 30, 2010."]

SECTION 22. Act 209, Session Laws of Hawaii 1992, is amended by amending section 6 to read as follows:

"SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval[; provided that if the actual tax collections accruing to the general fund for fiscal year 1992 equals or exceeds 6.4 per cent or if the council on revenues' September, 1992 estimate of taxes accruing to the general fund for fiscal year 1993 equals or exceeds 5.1 per cent, section 1 of this Act shall be repealed and section 237-31, Hawaii Revised Statutes, shall be reenacted in the form in which it read on the day before the approval of this Act]."

SECTION 23. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 24. This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2004.

INTRODUCED BY:

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