Report Title:

Airports; Passenger Facility Charge

Description:

Establishes a passenger facility charge to finance costs related to implementing capital improvement program projects at state airports.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

838

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

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 department of transportation lacks the authority to apply for and receive passenger facility charge revenue pursuant to existing federal law and regulations. Without this authority, Hawaii's airports are not able to collect revenues that other airports presently collect from Hawaii's residents. Because Hawaii's airports cannot collect these charges they are not able to benefit from passenger revenues, although other airports benefit from Hawaii residents through these charges. By implementing these charges, Hawaii will be able to participate in a federal program that was created to provide a means of generating funds for public airports throughout the United States.

The purpose of this Act is to provide authority to the department of transportation to impose and use passenger facility charge revenue consistent with title 49 United States Code section 40117 to finance costs relating to implementing capital improvement program projects at state airports as permitted under the Aviation and Transportation Safety Act and other federal laws.

The legislature notes that title 49 United States Code section 40117 and 14 Code of Federal Regulation part 158 prohibit expenditure of passenger facility charge revenue for other than approved projects. The Federal Aviation Administration considers any transfer of the passenger facility charges to reimburse administrative expenses or to the works of art special fund to be revenue diversion. Therefore, passenger facility charges revenue shall be exempt from the requirements pertaining to the reimbursement for central service expenses and transfers to the works of art special fund.

SECTION 2. Chapter 261, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§261- Passenger facility charge special fund. (a) There is established in the state treasury the passenger facility charge special fund, into which shall be deposited all proceeds from the passenger facility charge.

(b) Moneys in the passenger facility charge special fund shall be used for capital improvement program projects approved by the legislature.

(c) The passenger facility charge special fund shall be exempt from section 36-30.

(d) The passenger facility charge special fund shall be exempt from section 103-8.5."

SECTION 3. Section 36-30, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

"(a) Each special fund, except the:

(1) Transportation use special fund established by section 261D-1;

(2) Special out-of-school time instructional program fund under section 302A-1310;

(3) School cafeteria special funds of the department of education;

(4) Special funds of the University of Hawaii;

(5) State educational facilities improvement special fund;

(6) Special funds established by section 206E-6;

(7) Aloha Tower fund created by section 206J-17;

(8) Domestic violence prevention special fund under section 321-1.3;

(9) Spouse and child abuse special account under section 346-7.5;

(10) Spouse and child abuse special account under section 601-3.6;

(11) Funds of the employees' retirement system created by section 88-109;

(12) Unemployment compensation fund established under section 383-121;

(13) Hawaii hurricane relief fund established under chapter 431P;

(14) Convention center enterprise special fund established under section 201B-8;

(15) Hawaii health systems corporation special funds;

(16) Tourism special fund established under section 201B-11;

(17) Compliance resolution fund established under section 26-9;

(18) Universal service fund established under chapter 269;

(19) Integrated tax information management systems special fund under section 231-3.2;

(20) Hawaii tobacco settlement special fund under section 328L-2;

(21) Emergency and budget reserve fund under section 328L-3;

(22) Probation services special fund under section 706-649;

(23) High technology special fund under section 206M-15.5;

(24) Public schools special fees and charges fund under section 302A-1130(f);

(25) Cigarette tax stamp enforcement special fund established by section 28-14;

(26) Cigarette tax stamp administrative special fund established by section 245-41.5;

(27) Tobacco enforcement special fund established by section 28-15;

(28) Sport fish special fund under section 187A-9.5; [and]

(29) Neurotrauma special fund under section 321H-4; and

(30) Passenger facility charge special fund under section 261-   ;

shall be responsible for its pro rata share of the administrative expenses incurred by the department responsible for the operations supported by the special fund concerned."

SECTION 4. Section 103-8.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

"(a) There is created a works of art special fund, into which shall be transferred one per cent of all state fund appropriations for capital improvements designated for the construction cost element; provided that this transfer shall apply only to capital improvement appropriations that are designated for the construction or renovation of state buildings[.]; provided further that this transfer shall not apply to appropriations from the passenger facility charge special fund under section 261-   ."

SECTION 5. Section 261-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§261-7 Operation and use privileges. (a) In operating an airport or air navigation facility owned or controlled by the department of transportation, or in which it has a right or interest, the department may enter into contracts, leases, licenses, and other arrangements with any person:

(1) Granting the privilege of using or improving the airport or air navigation facility or any portion or facility thereof or space therein for commercial purposes;

(2) Conferring the privilege of supplying goods, commodities, things, services, or facilities at the airport or air navigation facility;

(3) Making available services, facilities, goods, commodities, or other things to be furnished by the department or its agents at the airport or air navigation facility; or

(4) Granting the use and occupancy, on a temporary basis by license or otherwise, of any portion of the land under its jurisdiction [which] that for the time being may not be required by the department, so that it may put the area to economic use and thereby derive revenue therefrom.

All the arrangements shall contain a clause that the land may be repossessed by the department when needed for aeronautics purposes upon giving the tenant temporarily occupying the [same] land not less than thirty days' notice in writing of intention to repossess.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, in each case mentioned in subsection (a)(1), (2), (3), and (4), the department may establish the terms and conditions of the contract, lease, license, or other arrangement[,] and may fix the charges, rentals, or fees for the privileges, services, or things granted, conferred, or made available, for the purpose of meeting the expenditures of the statewide system of airports set forth in section 261-5(a), which includes expenditures for capital improvement projects approved by the legislature. Such charges shall be reasonable and uniform for the same class of privilege, service, or thing.

(c) The department shall enter into a contract with no more than one person ("contractor") for the sale and delivery of in-bond merchandise at Honolulu International Airport, in the manner provided by law. The contract shall confer the right to operate and maintain commercial facilities within the airport for the sale of in-bond merchandise and the right to deliver to the airport in-bond merchandise for sale to departing foreign-bound passengers.

The department shall grant the contract pursuant to the laws of this State and may take into consideration:

(1) The payment to be made on in-bond merchandise sold at Honolulu International Airport and on in-bond merchandise displayed or sold elsewhere in the State and delivered to the airport;

(2) The ability of the applicant to comply with all federal and state rules and regulations concerning the sale and delivery of in-bond merchandise; and

(3) The reputation, experience, and financial capability of the applicant.

The department shall actively supervise the operation of the contractor to [insure] ensure its effectiveness. The department shall develop and implement such guidelines as it may find necessary and proper to actively supervise the operations of the contractor[,] and shall include guidelines relating to the department's review of the reasonableness of contractor's price schedules, quality of merchandise, merchandise assortment, operations, and service to customers.

Apart from the contract described in this subsection, the department shall confer no right upon nor suffer nor allow any person to offer to sell, sell, or deliver in-bond merchandise at Honolulu International Airport; provided that this section shall not prohibit the delivery of in-bond merchandise as cargo to the Honolulu International Airport.

(d) The department, by contract, lease, or other arrangement, upon a consideration fixed by it, may grant to any qualified person the privilege of operating, as agent of the State or otherwise, any airport owned or controlled by the department; provided that no such person shall be granted any authority to operate the airport other than as a public airport or to enter into any contracts, leases, or other arrangements in connection with the operation of the airport which the department might not have undertaken under subsection (a).

(e) The department may fix and regulate, from time to time, reasonable landing fees for aircraft, including the imposition of landing surcharges or differential landing fees, and other reasonable charges for the use and enjoyment of the airports and the services and facilities furnished by the department in connection therewith, including the establishment of a statewide system of airports landing fees, a statewide system of airports support charges, and joint use charges for the use of space shared by users, which fees and charges may vary among different classes of users such as foreign carriers, domestic carriers, inter-island carriers, air taxi operators, helicopters, and such other classes as may be determined by the director, for the purpose of meeting the expenditures of the statewide system of airports set forth in section 261-5(a), which includes expenditures for capital improvement projects approved by the legislature.

In setting airports rates and charges, including landing fees, the director may enter into contracts, leases, licenses, and other agreements with aeronautical users of the statewide system of airports containing such terms, conditions, and provisions as the director deems advisable.

If the director has not entered into contracts, leases, licenses, and other agreements with any or fewer than all of the aeronautical users of the statewide system of airports prior to the expiration of an existing contract, lease, license, or agreement, the director shall set and impose rates, rentals, fees, and charges pursuant to this subsection without regard to the requirements of chapter 91; provided that a public informational hearing shall be held on the rates, rentals, fees, and charges.

The director shall develop rates, rentals, fees, and charges in accordance with a residual methodology so that the statewide system of airports shall be, and always remain, self-sustaining. The rates, rentals, fees, and charges shall be set at such levels as to produce revenues which, together with aviation fuel taxes, shall be at least sufficient to meet the expenditures of the statewide system of airports set forth in section 261-5(a), including expenditures for capital improvement projects approved by the legislature, and to comply with covenants and agreements with holders of airport revenue bonds.

The director may develop and formulate methodology in setting the various rates, rentals, fees, and charges imposed and may determine usage of space, estimate landed weights, and apply such portion of nonaeronautical revenue deemed appropriate in determining the rates, rentals, fees, and charges applicable to aeronautical users of the statewide system of airports.

The rates, rentals, fees, and charges determined by the director in the manner set forth in this subsection shall be those charges payable by the aeronautical users for the periods immediately following the date of expiration of the existing contract, lease, license, or agreement. If fees are established pursuant to this section, the department shall prepare a detailed report on the circumstances and rates and charges that have been established, and shall submit the report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the next regular session.

If a schedule of rates, rentals, fees, and charges developed by the director in accordance with this section is projected by the department to produce revenues which, together with aviation fuel taxes, will be in excess of the amount required to meet the expenditures of the statewide system of airports set forth in section 261-5(a), including expenditures for capital improvement projects approved by the legislature, and to comply with covenants and agreements with holders of airport revenue bonds, the department shall submit the schedule of rates, rentals, fees, and charges to the legislature prior to the convening of the next regular session of the legislature. Within forty-five days after the convening of the regular session, the legislature may disapprove any schedule of rates, rentals, fees, and charges required to be submitted to it by this section by concurrent resolution. If no action is taken by the legislature within the forty-five-day period the schedule of rates, rentals, fees, and charges shall be deemed approved. If the legislature disapproves the schedule within the forty-five-day period, the director shall develop a new schedule of rates, rentals, fees, and charges in accordance with this section within seventy-five days of the disapproval. Pending the development of a new schedule of rates, rentals, fees, and charges, the schedule submitted to the legislature shall remain in force and effect.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the department may waive landing fees and other aircraft charges established under this section at any airport owned or controlled by the State whenever:

(1) The governor declares a state of emergency; and

(2) The department determines that the waiver of landing fees and other charges for the aircraft is consistent with assisting in the delivery of humanitarian relief to disaster-stricken areas of the State.

(f) To enforce the payment of any charges for repairs or improvements to, or storage or care of, any personal property made or furnished by the department or its agent in connection with the operation of an airport or air navigation facility owned or operated by the department, the department shall have liens on the property, which shall be enforceable by it as provided by sections 507-18 to 507-22.

(g) The department from time to time may establish developmental rates for buildings and land areas used exclusively for general aviation activities at rates not less than fifty per cent of the fair market rentals of the buildings and land areas and may restrict the extent of buildings and land areas to be utilized.

(h) The department may establish passenger facility charges not to exceed $4.50 for each overseas or international passenger who uses a state airport. The department shall establish the charges in accordance with applicable federal laws and regulations. No passenger facility charge shall be assessed on inter-island passengers who use state airports."

SECTION 6. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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