Bill Text: HI SB935 | 2023 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Gambling.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-02-17 - Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM/JDC. [SB935 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2023-SB935-Amended.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
935 |
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THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO GAMBLING.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
Hawaii residents take an estimated three hundred thousand trips to Las Vegas and other gambling destinations each year, with many residents making multiple trips per year. In 2011, it was reported that Boyd Gaming, a Nevada-based gaming corporation, earned about $600,000,000 from Hawaii annually. Further, in a 2021 annual investor report, Boyd Gaming highlighted that customers from the Hawaiian market comprised more than half of the room nights sold at the California Hotel and Casino, Fremont Hotel and Casino, and Main Street Station, and that decreases in Hawaiian market spending could adversely affect their business and financial condition. As testified to the house of representatives committee on tourism in 2012 by a longtime lobbyist for gambling interests in Hawaii, the "prohibition of that which is legal nearly everywhere else costs Hawaii $1,000,000,000 each year in outgoing dollars and returns none".
Despite its prohibition, Hawaii carries an economic burden from gambling. A 2009 study by the National Council on Problem Gambling estimated that the social costs of gambling addiction in Hawaii from twenty thousand problem gamblers and ten thousand pathological gamblers was $26,300,000; however, no public funding was provided for gambling treatment and prevention. A 2016 survey update by the National Council on Problem Gambling indicated that the number of problem gamblers had risen to nearly twenty-five thousand, and that Hawaii remained one of ten states that did not set aside funds to specifically address problem gambling.
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:
(1) Establish a gambling addiction special fund within the department of human services for the treatment of gambling addiction for Hawaii residents to be funded by a general excise tax on the sale of vacation packages that promote gambling or gambling devices; and
(2) Impose a general excise tax on persons engaged in the arrangement, provision, or
sale within the State of vacation packages or other recreational services that
promote gambling or gambling devices that is not prohibited by state law of
per cent of gross income due to that activity.
SECTION 2. Chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§346- Gambling addiction special fund. (a) There is established within
the state treasury a special fund to be known as the "gambling addiction
special fund", and to be administered and expended by the department of
human services.
(b) The proceeds of the special
fund shall be reserved for use by the department of human services for staff
programs and grants consistent with chapter 42F that support or provide
gambling addiction intervention or prevention for residents of the State. These proceeds shall be used for new or
existing programs and shall not supplant any other funds previously allocated
to these programs.
(c) The special fund shall consist
of general tax remittances pursuant to section 237-13(9) and allocated under
section 237-31. All realizations of the
special fund shall be subject to the conditions specified in subsection (b).
(d) The department of human
services shall submit an annual report to the legislature, prior to the
convening of each regular session, providing an accounting of the receipts of
and expenditures from the special fund."
SECTION 3. Section 237-13, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§237-13 Imposition of tax. There is hereby levied and shall be assessed
and collected annually privilege taxes against persons on account of their
business and other activities in the State measured by the application of rates
against values of products, gross proceeds of sales, or gross income, whichever
is specified, as follows:
(1) Tax on manufacturers.
(A) Upon every person engaging or continuing within the State in the business of manufacturing, including compounding, canning, preserving, packing, printing, publishing, milling, processing, refining, or preparing for sale, profit, or commercial use, either directly or through the activity of others, in whole or in part, any article or articles, substance or substances, commodity or commodities, the amount of the tax to be equal to the value of the articles, substances, or commodities, manufactured, compounded, canned, preserved, packed, printed, milled, processed, refined, or prepared for sale, as shown by the gross proceeds derived from the sale thereof by the manufacturer or person compounding, preparing, or printing them, multiplied by one-half of one per cent.
(B) The
measure of the tax on manufacturers is the value of the entire product for
sale.
(2) Tax on business of selling tangible personal property; producing.
(A) Upon
every person engaging or continuing in the business of selling any tangible
personal property whatsoever, there is likewise hereby levied, and shall be
assessed and collected, a tax equivalent to four per cent of the gross proceeds
of sales of the business; provided that, in the case of a wholesaler, the tax
shall be equal to one-half of one per cent of the gross proceeds of sales of
the business; and provided further that insofar as the sale of tangible
personal property is a wholesale sale under section 237-4(a)(8), the tax shall
be one-half of one per cent of the gross proceeds. Upon every person engaging or continuing
within this State in the business of a producer, the tax shall be equal to
one-half of one per cent of the gross proceeds of sales of the business, or the
value of the products, for sale.
(B) Gross proceeds of sales of tangible property in interstate and foreign commerce shall constitute a part of the measure of the tax imposed on persons in the business of selling tangible personal property, to the extent, under the conditions, and in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the United States and the Acts of the Congress of the United States which may be now in force or may be hereafter adopted, and whenever there occurs in the State an activity to which, under the Constitution and Acts of Congress, there may be attributed gross proceeds of sales, the gross proceeds shall be so attributed.
(C) No
manufacturer or producer, engaged in such business in the State and selling the
manufacturer's or producer's products for delivery outside of the State (for
example, consigned to a mainland purchaser via common carrier f.o.b. Honolulu),
shall be required to pay the tax imposed in this chapter for the privilege of
so selling the products, and the value or gross proceeds of sales of the
products shall be included only in determining the measure of the tax imposed
upon the manufacturer or producer.
(D) A
manufacturer or producer, engaged in such business in the State, shall pay the
tax imposed in this chapter for the privilege of selling its products in the
State, and the value or gross proceeds of sales of the products, thus subjected
to tax, may be deducted insofar as duplicated as to the same products by the
measure of the tax upon the manufacturer or producer for the privilege of
manufacturing or producing in the State; provided that no producer of
agricultural products who sells the products to a purchaser who will process
the products outside the State shall be required to pay the tax imposed in this
chapter for the privilege of producing or selling those products.
(E) A
taxpayer selling to a federal cost-plus contractor may make the election
provided for by paragraph (3)(C), and in that case the tax shall be computed
pursuant to the election, notwithstanding this paragraph or paragraph (1) to
the contrary.
(F) The
department, by rule, may require that a seller take from the purchaser of
tangible personal property a certificate, in a form prescribed by the
department, certifying that the sale is a sale at wholesale; provided that:
(i) Any purchaser who furnishes a certificate shall be obligated to pay to the seller, upon demand, the amount of the additional tax that is imposed upon the seller whenever the sale in fact is not at wholesale; and
(ii) The absence of a certificate in itself shall give rise to the presumption that the sale is not at wholesale unless the sales of the business are exclusively at wholesale.
(3) Tax upon contractors.
(A) Upon every person engaging or continuing within the State in the business of contracting, the tax shall be equal to four per cent of the gross income of the business.
(B) In computing the tax levied under this paragraph, there shall be deducted from the gross income of the taxpayer so much thereof as has been included in the measure of the tax levied under subparagraph (A), on another taxpayer who is a contractor, as defined in section 237-6; provided that any person claiming a deduction under this paragraph shall be required to show in the person's return the name and general excise number of the person paying the tax on the amount deducted by the person.
(C) In computing the tax levied under this paragraph against any federal cost-plus contractor, there shall be excluded from the gross income of the contractor so much thereof as fulfills the following requirements:
(i) The gross income exempted shall constitute reimbursement of costs incurred for materials, plant, or equipment purchased from a taxpayer licensed under this chapter, not exceeding the gross proceeds of sale of the taxpayer on account of the transaction; and
(ii) The taxpayer making the sale shall have certified to the department that the taxpayer is taxable with respect to the gross proceeds of the sale, and that the taxpayer elects to have the tax on gross income computed the same as upon a sale to the state government.
(D) A person who, as a business or as a part of a business in which the person is engaged, erects, constructs, or improves any building or structure, of any kind or description, or makes, constructs, or improves any road, street, sidewalk, sewer, or water system, or other improvements on land held by the person (whether held as a leasehold, fee simple, or otherwise), upon the sale or other disposition of the land or improvements, even if the work was not done pursuant to a contract, shall be liable to the same tax as if engaged in the business of contracting, unless the person shows that at the time the person was engaged in making the improvements the person intended, and for the period of at least one year after completion of the building, structure, or other improvements the person continued to intend to hold and not sell or otherwise dispose of the land or improvements. The tax in respect of the improvements shall be measured by the amount of the proceeds of the sale or other disposition that is attributable to the erection, construction, or improvement of such building or structure, or the making, constructing, or improving of the road, street, sidewalk, sewer, or water system, or other improvements. The measure of tax in respect of the improvements shall not exceed the amount which would have been taxable had the work been performed by another, subject as in other cases to the deductions allowed by subparagraph (B). Upon the election of the taxpayer, this paragraph may be applied notwithstanding that the improvements were not made by the taxpayer, or were not made as a business or as a part of a business, or were made with the intention of holding the same. However, this paragraph shall not apply in respect of any proceeds that constitute or are in the nature of rent, which shall be taxable under paragraph (9); provided that insofar as the business of renting or leasing real property under a lease is taxed under section 237-16.5, the tax shall be levied by section 237-16.5.
(4) Tax upon theaters, amusements, radio broadcasting stations, etc.
(A) Upon every person engaging or continuing within the State in the business of operating a theater, opera house, moving picture show, vaudeville, amusement park, dance hall, skating rink, radio broadcasting station, or any other place at which amusements are offered to the public, the tax shall be equal to four per cent of the gross income of the business, and in the case of a sale of an amusement at wholesale under section 237‑4(a)(13), the tax shall be one-half of one per cent of the gross income.
(B) The department may require that the person rendering an amusement at wholesale take from the licensed seller a certificate, in a form prescribed by the department, certifying that the sale is a sale at wholesale; provided that:
(i) Any licensed seller who furnishes a certificate shall be obligated to pay to the person rendering the amusement, upon demand, the amount of additional tax that is imposed upon the seller whenever the sale is not at wholesale; and
(ii) The absence of a certificate in itself shall give rise to the presumption that the sale is not at wholesale unless the person rendering the sale is exclusively rendering the amusement at wholesale.
(5) Tax upon sales representatives, etc. Upon every person classified as a representative or purchasing agent under section 237-1, engaging or continuing within the State in the business of performing services for another, other than as an employee, there is likewise hereby levied and shall be assessed and collected a tax equal to four per cent of the commissions and other compensation attributable to the services so rendered by the person.
(6) Tax on service business.
(A) Upon every person engaging or continuing within the State in any service business or calling including professional services not otherwise specifically taxed under this chapter, there is likewise hereby levied and shall be assessed and collected a tax equal to four per cent of the gross income of the business, and in the case of a wholesaler under section 237-4(a)(10), the tax shall be equal to one-half of one per cent of the gross income of the business.
(B) The department may require that the person rendering a service at wholesale take from the licensed seller a certificate, in a form prescribed by the department, certifying that the sale is a sale at wholesale; provided that:
(i) Any licensed seller who furnishes a certificate shall be obligated to pay to the person rendering the service, upon demand, the amount of additional tax that is imposed upon the seller whenever the sale is not at wholesale; and
(ii) The absence of a certificate in itself shall give rise to the presumption that the sale is not at wholesale unless the person rendering the sale is exclusively rendering services at wholesale.
(C) Where any person is engaged in the business of selling interstate or foreign common carrier telecommunication services within and without the State, other than as a home service provider, the tax shall be imposed on that portion of gross income received by a person from service which is originated or terminated in this State and is charged to a telephone number, customer, or account in this State notwithstanding any other state law (except for the exemption under section 237-23(a)(1)) to the contrary. If, under the Constitution and laws of the United States, the entire gross income as determined under this paragraph of a business selling interstate or foreign common carrier telecommunication services cannot be included in the measure of the tax, the gross income shall be apportioned as provided in section 237-21; provided that the apportionment factor and formula shall be the same for all persons providing those services in the State.
(D) Where any person is engaged in the business of a home service provider, the tax shall be imposed on the gross income received or derived from providing interstate or foreign mobile telecommunications services to a customer with a place of primary use in this State when the services originate in one state and terminate in another state, territory, or foreign country; provided that all charges for mobile telecommunications services which are billed by or for the home service provider are deemed to be provided by the home service provider at the customer's place of primary use, regardless of where the mobile telecommunications originate, terminate, or pass through; provided further that the income from charges specifically derived from interstate or foreign mobile telecommunications services, as determined by books and records that are kept in the regular course of business by the home service provider in accordance with section 239-24, shall be apportioned under any apportionment factor or formula adopted under subparagraph (C). Gross income shall not include:
(i) Gross receipts from mobile telecommunications services provided to a customer with a place of primary use outside this State;
(ii) Gross receipts from mobile telecommunications services that are subject to the tax imposed by chapter 239;
(iii) Gross receipts from mobile telecommunications services taxed under section 237-13.8; and
(iv) Gross receipts of a home service provider acting as a serving carrier providing mobile telecommunications services to another home service provider's customer.
For the purposes of this paragraph, "charges for mobile telecommunications services", "customer", "home service provider", "mobile telecommunications services", "place of primary use", and "serving carrier" have the same meaning as in section 239-22.
(7) Tax on insurance producers. Upon every person engaged as a licensed producer pursuant to chapter 431, there is hereby levied and shall be assessed and collected a tax equal to 0.15 per cent of the commissions due to that activity.
(8) Tax
on receipts of sugar benefit payments.
Upon the amounts received from the United States government by any
producer of sugar (or the producer's legal representative or heirs), as defined
under and by virtue of the Sugar Act of 1948, as amended, or other Acts of the
Congress of the United States relating thereto, there is hereby levied a tax of
one-half of one per cent of the gross amount received; provided that the tax
levied hereunder on any amount so received and actually disbursed to another by
a producer in the form of a benefit payment shall be paid by the person or
persons to whom the amount is actually disbursed, and the producer actually
making a benefit payment to another shall be entitled to claim on the producer's
return a deduction from the gross amount taxable hereunder in the sum of the
amount so disbursed. The amounts taxed
under this paragraph shall not be taxable under any other paragraph,
subsection, or section of this chapter.
(9) Tax
on vacation packages or other recreational services promoting gambling. Upon every person engaged in the arrangement,
provision, or sale within the State of vacation packages or other recreational
services that promote gambling or gambling devices that is not prohibited by
state law, there is hereby levied and shall be assessed and collected a tax
equal to per cent of the gross income or
commissions due to that activity.
[(9)] (10) Tax on other business. Upon every person engaging or continuing
within the State in any business, trade, activity, occupation, or calling not
included in the preceding paragraphs or any other provisions of this chapter,
there is likewise hereby levied and shall be assessed and collected, a tax
equal to four per cent of the gross income thereof. In addition, the rate prescribed by this
paragraph shall apply to a business taxable under one or more of the preceding
paragraphs or other provisions of this chapter, as to any gross income thereof
not taxed thereunder as gross income or gross proceeds of sales or by taxing an
equivalent value of products, unless specifically exempted."
SECTION 4. Section 237-31, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§237-31 Remittances. All remittances of taxes imposed by this
chapter shall be made by money, bank draft, check, cashier's check, money
order, or certificate of deposit to the office of the department of taxation to
which the return was transmitted. The
department shall issue its receipts therefor to the taxpayer and shall pay the
moneys into the state treasury as a state realization, to be kept and accounted
for as provided by law; provided that:
(1) A sum, not to exceed $5,000,000, from all general excise tax revenues realized by the State shall be deposited in the state treasury in each fiscal year to the credit of the compound interest bond reserve fund; and
(2) A sum from all general excise tax
revenues realized by the State that is equal to one-half of the total
amount of funds appropriated or transferred out of the hurricane reserve trust
fund under sections 4 and 5 of Act 62, Session Laws of Hawaii 2011, shall
be deposited into the hurricane reserve trust fund in fiscal year 2013-2014 and
in fiscal year 2014-2015; provided that the deposit required in each fiscal
year shall be made by October 1 of that fiscal year[.];
(3) A sum from all general excise tax revenues realized by the State under section 237-13(9) shall be deposited in the gambling addiction special fund established by section 346- ."
SECTION 5. If any provision of this Act, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the Act that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this Act are severable.
SECTION 6. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.
Report Title:
Vacation Packages; General Excise Tax; Gambling Addiction Special Fund
Description:
Establishes the Gambling Addiction Special Fund within the Department of Human Services for the treatment of gambling addiction for Hawaii residents. Imposes a general excise tax on persons engaged in the arrangement, provision, or sale within the State of vacation packages or other recreational services that promote gambling or gambling devices that is not prohibited by state law. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
