Report Title:

Economic Development; light rail; rapid transit

Description:

Requires the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to establish economic measures that will guarantee no less than $80 million in new, annualized income to assist with the costs of building a light rail system.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1983

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to transportation.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the citizens of Oahu, especially those living in central and west Oahu, are increasingly suffering from an overburdened highway transportation system. Accordingly, the legislature has deemed that the State should enact economic measures that will lead to greater public revenues, thus enabling the State to build a light rail system that will alleviate this ever-growing transportation problem.

The purpose of this Act is to require the department of business, economic development, and tourism to establish economic measures that guarantee no less than $80,000,000 in new annualized income to the State that can be used for the construction of a light rail system.

SECTION 2. Section 26-18, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

"(a) The department of business, economic development, and tourism shall be headed by a single executive to be known as the director of business, economic development, and tourism.

The department shall [undertake]:

(1) Undertake statewide business and economic development activities[, undertake];

(2) Undertake energy development and management[, provide];

(3) Provide economic research and analysis[, plan];

(4) Plan for the use of Hawaii's ocean resources[, and encourage];

(5) Encourage the development and promotion of industry and international commerce through programs established by law[.]; and

(6) Establish economic measures that guarantee no less than $80,000,000 in new, annualized income to the State for at least ten consecutive years; provided that this new income shall be generated from the development of new economic initiatives and concepts heretofore not attempted by the State and shall not be generated as a result of an increase in the state general excise tax."

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 Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.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:

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