Maui County Council Urges Legislature To Set Visitor Fees For The Environment

Earlier this month, Maui County Council Chair Alice L. Lee announced eight proposals have been introduced as the 2022 Maui County Council Legislative Package.

Included in the package is a legislation to establish a “green fee surcharge,” a visitor fee that would fund environment-protection projects.

“Green fees offer an innovative financing mechanism to better support the well-being of our residents and visitors alike by ensuring we have a clean and healthful environment,” Lee said.

“Protecting Maui County’s reefs, oceans, beaches and forests is vital to both the visitor industry and our resident’s quality of life.”

The legislative package was introduced at the start of legislative session in January. The bills included in the package are the following:

– HB 1437 and SB 2096 to lower the threshold blood alcohol content for the offense of driving under influence

– HB 1438 and SB 2097 to establish the criminal offenses of unlawful chop shop activity in the first and second degrees

– HB 1440 and SB 2099 to require the minimum wage to be recalculated using the most recent self-sufficiency income standard

– HB 1441 and SB 2100 to authorize issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriate fund for capital improvement projects

– HB 1443 and SB 2102 to asses climate change mitigation impact fee on every customer who rents, leases or utilizes a rental car

– HB 1444 and SB 2103 to abolish Kalawao County and incorporate the Kalaupapa area of Molokai into Maui County

Lee encourages Maui County residents to join the council in tracking state legislation and submitting testimony to state legislative committees. For updates on information, bill numbers and testimonies, visit mauicounty.us/2022stateleg/.

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