STAND. COM. REP. NO.  81

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

 

RE:   H.B. No. 472

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Economic Revitalization, Business, & Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 472 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE VEHICLE WEIGHT TAX,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to recognize the sacrifices made by military veterans by exempting one noncommercial motor vehicle registered to a veteran, from the state vehicle weight tax.

 

     A concerned individual supported this bill.  The Office of Veterans Services supported the intent of this bill.  The Department of Transportation, Department of Taxation, and City and County of Honolulu opposed this bill. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii commented.

 

     Your Committee supports our veterans, but also acknowledges that this bill would adversely impact funding for highway operations, maintenance, and construction.  Accordingly, the exemption has been amended to apply only to the approximately 19,000 totally disabled veterans, as well as to veterans who served in World War II or the Korean War.  Your Committee notes that as amended, the exemption would include Filipino World War II veterans.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Revitalization, Business, & Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 472, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 472, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Transportation.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Revitalization, Business, & Military Affairs,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair