Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism - Other Initiatives

HB1043, SB861: RELATING TO LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS
Allows developers and investors in affordable housing to claim the State Low-Income Housing Tax Credit over a period of five years, instead of ten years.

HB1044, SB862: RELATING TO HOUSING
Requires the Hawai`i Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC) to receive 45 day notice of foreclosures on properties with HHFDC deed restrictions, such as shared appreciation clauses.

HB1045, SB863:  RELATING TO THE HAWAI`I HOUSING FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Clarifies that shared appreciation equity deed restrictions are a first priority lien on affordable homes developed under the State’s expedited approval process and allows a fee to be charged for developments that use the expedited process, also known as 201H.

HB1046, SB864: RELATING TO THE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY BY THE HAWAI`I COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Allows the Hawai`i Community Development Authority to sell, exchange, transfer, assign, or convey any real property located in the Kakaako community development district except for the area makai of Ala Moana Boulevard with certain exclusions.

HB1047, SB865: RELATING TO IMPORTANT AGRICULTURAL LANDS
Makes changes to the important agricultural lands designation and reclassification process to 1) ensure the Land Use Commission applies the same standards and criteria in evaluating the suitability of land for urban, rural, and conservation uses; and 2) ensure that all lands proposed for designation and reclassification are on the same island.

HB1048, SB866: RELATING TO LAND USE
Amends current law to give the counties greater authority and flexibility to define uses and regulate land use in the State Rural District to encourage more land to be classified as rural. 

HB1049, SB867: RELATING TO COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT
Amends current law to allow erosion and accretion to be considered in regulating permitted land uses and expands the definition of coastal hazards.

HB1050, SB868: RELATING TO ENERGY RESOURCES
Improves the ability of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism to obtain and use data from power generation utilities and the transportation fuel sector to develop Statewide energy policies and better analyze the energy sector.

HB1051, SB869: RELATING TO ENERGY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Improves the ability of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism to obtain and use data from power generation utilities and the transportation fuel sector to address energy emergencies, shortages, and security issues.

HB1052, SB870: RELATING TO HAWAI`I’S CLEAN ENERGY INITIATIVE IN ELECTRIC GENERATION AND DELIVERY
Transforms Hawai`i’s electric generation and delivery system to align with the State’s goal of achieving 70% clean energy by 2030 by: increasing the goals of the State’s existing Renewable Portfolio Standard; barring the Public Utilities Commission from approving applications to build new additional fossil-based electric generation units with rated capacity greater than two megawatts; lifting existing caps on net-energy metering and creating feed-in tariffs for power producers that feed electricity to the grid; enhancing the powers and authority of the State’s Energy Resources Coordinator; and increasing the duties of the State’s renewable energy permitting facilitator.

HB1053, SB871: RELATING TO HAWAI`I’S CLEAN ENERGY INITIATIVE IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Accelerates existing and new energy efficiency initiatives by: creating an Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard with the goal of off-setting forecasted load growth in the electricity sector from 2009 to 2030; authorizing the Public Utilities Commission to conduct assessments of current energy use patterns in the State; authorizing the Public Benefits Fee Administrator to recommend technical code amendments to the International Energy Conservation building code; clarifying the existing solar water heater credit; requiring State agencies to benchmark the energy use of existing public buildings; and by creating a tax credit for net zero energy buildings.

HB1054, SB872: RELATING TO HAWAI`I’S CLEAN ENERGY INITIATIVE IN TRANSPORTATION ENERGY
Modernizes Hawai`i’s transportation sector by increasing the adoption of alternative fuel vehicles by: creating tax credits for installing electric vehicle charging plugs and alternate fuel re-fueling stations; designating priority parking spots for electric vehicles; requiring electric vehicle charging capacity on all new single-family homes built after January 1, 2015; creating a five year tax exemption for the sale or lease of new or used alternative fuel vehicles or fuel economy leader vehicles; creating a five year exemption from State motor vehicle registration fees for electric vehicles; creating a grant program to encourage individuals and businesses to purchase electric vehicles; expanding the existing ethanol facility tax credit to include biofuels; creating a limited, five year exemption from the rental motor vehicle surcharge tax for rental companies who lease alternative fuel vehicles; requiring the State, when purchasing new vehicles, to purchase alternative fuel models beginning in 2010; and by requiring certain private fleets, when purchasing new vehicles, to acquire vehicles capable of operating on non-petroleum sources beginning in 2015.

HB1055, SB873: RELATING TO LAND USE
Establishes a process for determining when a land use classification should be rescinded because it has not been used for a period of time, particularly for lands classified as urban or rural.