HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2589

TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO DISPOSITION OF TAX REVENUES.

 

 

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

 


     SECTION 1.  Section 195F-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  There is established a special fund within the state treasury known as the forest stewardship fund which shall be used as follows:

     (1)  Payments shall be made by the board pursuant to agreements entered into with qualified landowners to further the purposes of this chapter; [and]

     (2)  Moneys collected from:

         (A)  The harvest of non-native forest products from forest reserves;

         (B)  The harvest of native forest products from degraded forests as defined in section 186-5.5, within forest reserves;

         (C)  The sale of forest products found dead and lying on the ground;

         (D)  The sale of tree seedlings from state nurseries;

         (E)  The sale of any other products or services, or anything of value derived from forest reserves not described above; or

         (F)  The imposition of fines or penalties for violations of this chapter and chapters 183 and 185 or any rule adopted thereunder;

          shall be used for:  (i) replanting, managing, and maintaining designated timber management areas; (ii) enhancing the management of public forest reserves with an emphasis on restoring degraded koa forests; and (iii) developing environmental education and training programs pertaining to sustainable forestry; provided that the activities described in clauses (ii) and (iii) may not be funded unless the activities described in approved management plans pertaining to clause (i) are adequately funded[.]; and

     (3)  Moneys deposited into the fund as authorized by section 247-7 may also be used by the department to administer the program and manage the forest reserve system."

     SECTION 2.  Section 247-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§247-7  Disposition of taxes.  All taxes collected under this chapter shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the general fund of the State, to be used and expended for the purposes for which the general fund was created and exists by law; provided that of the taxes collected each fiscal year:

     (1)  Ten per cent [or $6,800,000, whichever is less,] shall be paid into the land conservation fund established pursuant to section 173A-5; [and]

     (2)  Fifty per cent [or $38,000,000, whichever is less,] shall be paid into the rental housing revolving fund established by section 201H-202[.]; and

     (3)  Twenty-five per cent shall be paid into the natural area reserve fund established by section 195-9; provided that the funds paid into the natural area reserve fund shall be annually disbursed by the department of land and natural resources in the following priority:

         (A)  To natural area partnership and forest stewardship programs after joint consultation with the forest stewardship committee and the natural area reserves system commission;

         (B)  Projects undertaken in accordance with watershed management plans pursuant to section 171-58 or watershed management plans negotiated with private landowners, and management of the natural area reserves system pursuant to section 195-3; and

         (C)  The Hawaii youth conservation corps established under chapter 193."

     SECTION 3.  Act 84, Session Laws of Hawaii 2015, is amended by repealing section 4.

     ["SECTION 4.  All remaining moneys deposited into the forest stewardship fund, established pursuant to section 195F-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, in accordance with section 247-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, as of the effective date of this Act, may continue to be used for the administration of forest stewardship programs and the management of the forest reserve system."]

     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, 2016.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 


 


 

Report Title:

Conveyance Tax; Distribution Maximums; Natural Area Reserve Fund

 

Description:

Repeals certain maximum dollar amounts that limit the distribution among certain non-general funds from the conveyance tax.  Requires that twenty-five per cent of conveyance tax revenues be distributed to the natural area reserve fund. 

 

 

 

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