Sen. Stanley Chang

Increases the rate of real estate conveyance tax for condominiums and single family residences ineligible for a county home-owner's exemption with a value of at least $2,000,000. Exempts from conveyance taxes documents and instruments conveying real property subject to a government assistance program approved and certified by HHFDC and used for the provision of affordable housing for qualified persons in the State. Removes maximum dollar amount of conveyance taxes that are to be paid into the rental housing revolving fund each fiscal year.

Requires licensed used motor vehicle part dealers to obtain a written statement by a seller of a catalytic converter that the seller has the lawful right to sell and dispose of the catalytic converter. Requires certain sellers of a catalytic converter to present a receipt or notarized declaration regarding the catalytic converter in certain circumstances. Prohibits a licensed used motor vehicle part dealer from purchasing a catalytic converter with no receipt or notarized declaration and to report the attempted sale to the police. Establishes the offense of theft of catalytic converter as a class C felony. (SD1)

Requires and establishes deadlines for state facilities, except smaller facilities and facilities at Aloha Stadium, to implement cost-effective energy efficiency measures. Directs the Hawaii state energy office to collect utility bill and energy usage data for state-owned buildings and to make the data publicly available. Provides that certain agencies that perform energy efficiency retrofitting may continue to receive appropriations for energy expenditures at an amount that accounts for any costs or debt service for the implementation and management of energy efficiency measures. Beginning 7/1/2021, requires, where feasible and cost-effective, the design of all new state building construction to maximize energy and water efficiency, maximize energy generation potential, and use building materials that reduce the carbon footprint of the project.

Prohibits commercial shark tour operations from operating without a permit. Requires the department of land and natural resources to adopt rules to regulate commercial shark tours. Effective 1/1/2022. (SD1)

Requires the department of agriculture, in cooperation with the office of the governor, to identify the top ten fruit and vegetable imports to the State that may be commercially grown by farmers in Hawaii and recommend ways to increase their production. Effective 7/1/2050. (HD1)

Prohibits discrimination, including in advertisements for rental property, in rental transactions based on participation in a section 8 housing choice program or any permanent supportive housing program or requirements related to participation in these housing assistance programs. Effective 7/1/2050. (HD1)

Prohibits businesses that sell age-restricted goods from requiring verbal disclosure of a customer's date of birth if it is clear that the individual has attained the age required to make a purchase. (SD1)

Increases from 1 parking space to 4 parking spaces the number of parking spaces that a place of public accommodation with at least one hundred parking spaces is required to offer by 7/1/2026. Removes the exemption that owners of multiple places of public accommodation may offer electric vehicle parking spaces based on the aggregate number of parking spaces available in their properties. Establishes notification requirements and fines for noncompliance.

Specifies that moneys in the tourism emergency special fund are to be used exclusively for emergency measures directly related to safety and security initiatives necessary to respond to any tourism emergency. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Updates the laws on agricultural cooperative associations and consumer cooperative associations including operations as resale agents and conversions. (SD1)