New Hawaii Laws taking effect January 1, 2023

The new laws include:

• Act 15, which repeals and eliminates the deferred payment purchase option for cigarette tax stamps and requires licensees to pay for stamps at the time of purchase using cash, certified check or bank transfer.

• Act 47, which establishes ranked-choice voting for special federal elections and special elections of vacant county council seats.

• Act 49, which requires the auditor of fireworks and articles pyrotechnic records for each county fire department to submit to the Legislature an annual report detailing inventory, recordkeeping and sales of fireworks to license or permit holders.

• Act 56, which establishes peer-to-peer car-sharing insurance coverage requirements.

• Act 57, which establishes requirements and permitting procedures for transportation network companies operating in the state. It also makes permanent insurance requirements for transportation network companies and transportation network company drivers.

• Act 58, which establishes provisions relating to care obligation of insurers and producers.

• Act 62, which amends provisions relating to contents of declarations under condominiums laws, including clarifying that 67 percent of unit owners may amend a condo declaration at any time by vote or written consent, unless the declaration specifies a higher percentage.

• Act 69, which establishes provisions relating to cumulative voting for directors under the planned community associations law.

• Act 76, which amends provisions relating to cooperation between the Department of Taxation and county liquor commissions, including removing the authority of county liquor commissions to enforce the liquor tax law and requires violations to be referred to the director of taxation for investigation.

• Act 88, which regulates the purchase of catalytic converters by used motor vehicle parts dealers and palladium, platinum and rhodium by scrap dealers and recyclers. It subjects persons who violate related provisions to a class C felony and establishes the felony offense of theft of catalytic converter.

• Act 94, which amends provisions relating to operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant, including amending the driver’s license revocation period for first-time offenders and allowing early termination of a license revocation.

• Act 97, which establishes a statewide interoperable communications executive committee and subcommittee for public safety communications and the position of the statewide interoperable communications coordinator.

• Act 141, which prohibits the intentional release of balloons inflated with a gas that is lighter than air.

• Act 159, which extends the renewal period from two years to four years for licensees who are 72 years of age or older but younger than 80.

• Act 161, which establishes an Accessible Parking Special Account within the Disability and Communication Access Board Special Fund. It also increases the state annual vehicle registration fee by $1 and requires that $1 from each annual vehicle registration fee be deposited into the Accessible Parking Special Account.

• Act 165, which requires state legislators and employees to complete mandatory live or online ethics training courses every four years, subject to certain requirements.

• Act 169, which establishes campaign spending provisions relating to donors, consent and notice.

• Act 217, which establishes provisions relating to withholding of tax by persons claiming the motion picture, digital media and film production income tax credit under the general excise tax law.

• Act 218, which amends provisions relating to the taxation board of review, appointment, removal and compensation.

• Act 283, which prohibits elected state and county officials from holding any fundraiser event to raise contributions for which any price is charged or any contribution is suggested for attendance during a regular session or special session of the state Legislature.

• Act 286, which adopts a new Hawaii Code of Military Justice to promote order and discipline in the state military forces by fostering an independent military justice system and updating nonjudicial punishment and courts-martial procedures.

• Act 298, which subjects U-drive motor vehicles to the same motor vehicle registration fees as other motor vehicles. It also authorizes the counties to use certain motor vehicle registration fees to mitigate and address the impacts of tourism-related traffic congestion.

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