HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

709

THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to disabled veterans.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds a debt of gratitude is owed to those who incur injuries while serving as members of the nation's armed forces, especially if those injuries result in life-long disabilities.

     The legislature also finds that taking care of veterans is critical to the future defense of our nation and should be considered an investment.  If the nation's armed forces are to remain an all-volunteer force in the future, the nation must begin taking greater care of its veterans now.

     The legislature further finds that while the State can never fully repay veterans for their service, the State can offer certain exemptions to disabled veterans as a means of showing gratitude.  Despite disabled veterans receiving an exemption from annual vehicle registrations fees, these veterans are still require to pay the annual weight tax.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to extend the exempt disabled veterans from the annual vehicle weight tax.

     SECTION 2.  Section 249-31.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§249-31.5  Exemptions from registration fees and annual weight tax for certain vehicles; disabled veterans.  (a)  A disabled veteran who:

     (1)  Is a resident of Hawaii;

     (2)  Has been other than dishonorably discharged from the United States uniformed armed forces; and

     (3)  Is determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or its predecessor to have a service-connected one hundred per cent disability rating for compensation or a service-connected disability rating of one hundred per cent,

shall be exempt from payment of all annual vehicle registration fees and annual vehicle weight tax as required by [section] sections 249-31[;] and 249-33, respectively; provided that this exemption shall not extend to any vehicle used for commercial purposes or to more than one vehicle owned by the disabled veteran.

     (b)  The director of the office of veterans' services, in consultation with the policy advisory board on [[]veterans'[]] services, shall submit a report to the legislature and the department of taxation no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session providing the legislature and the department of taxation with the total number of disabled veterans who qualify under this section for the exemption from annual vehicle registration fees."

     SECTION 3.  Section 249-33, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:

     "(c)  The exemptions provided by sections 249-3 to 249-6 and 249-31.5 shall apply to this section.  The provisions for refunds, and taxes for fraction of years for vehicles removed from or brought into the State and for junked vehicles, contained in sections 249-3 and 249-5 shall apply to the tax levied by this section."

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2021.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Disabled Veterans; Vehicle Weight Tax; Exemption

 

Description:

Exempts qualified disabled veterans from the annual vehicle weight tax.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.