Senate panel passes bill
to get vacation rental data
HONOLULU (AP) — State lawmakers might create a group to develop a way to collect data about how vacation rentals affect Hawaii’s tax revenue, housing supply and brand as a visitor destination.
The Senate Ways and Means Committee on Monday passed a bill to set up the group. The measure next goes to the full Senate for a vote.
The legislation says the state is losing tax revenue as some owners and operators of short-term rentals are not paying transient accommodations taxes and general excise taxes.
It says counties are losing revenue when vacation rental owners receive homeowner discounts on property taxes.
The legislation says some of the units rented to visitors could be rented to residents, helping alleviate that state’s affordable housing crisis.
The bill calls on the group to establish a way for state and county governments to monitor the number of units being offered to visitors on a part-time and full-time basis. It also asks the group to identify how vacation rentals are affecting real estate markets, the availability of long-term rentals, rent and property taxes.
The working group would include representatives from the state tax department, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, hotel industry, licensed short-term rental operators and short-term rental websites. They would submit their findings to lawmakers shortly before the next legislative session.
Bill requires gray water systems for new buildings
HONOLULU (AP) — Developers who want to construct buildings in Hawaii would have to install systems to reuse gray water under a bill in the Legislature.
Without those plans, they wouldn’t be able to get a building permit. The idea would be to recycle gently used water as some Hawaii residents have done for generations.
Two Senate committees passed the bill Monday. They removed a phrase that said the gray water would be used for irrigation.
Critics say the bill would increase construction costs and delay building, and some are concerned the bill doesn’t have enough information to ensure the recycled water will be safely used by residents.
The counties would come up with their own rules for what type of gray water systems could be used.
Gray water includes water from showers, sinks not located in the kitchen and washing machines that haven’t been used to clean diapers, according to the state Department of Health, which issued guidelines for using gray water in 2009.
