Hawaii House Bill HB307

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/17/25
• Refer: 1/21/25
• Report Pass: 2/3/25
• Refer: 2/3/25
• Report Pass: 2/14/25
• Refer: 2/14/25
• Report Pass: 2/27/25
• Engrossed: 2/27/25
• Refer: 3/4/25
• Report Pass: 3/21/25
• Refer: 3/21/25

Caption

Relating To Special Number Plates.

Summary

HB307 authorizes the creation of a new special motor vehicle license plate recognizing the island of Kahoʻolawe. The bill directs the director of finance to issue the plate to Hawaii residents who apply and pay the required fees, and it requires the plate design to identify Kahoʻolawe while meeting size, visibility, and content restrictions. The measure also allows for a fundraising fee tied to the plate, with proceeds deposited into a separate county budget account for the Kohe Mālamalama o Kanaloa Protect Kahoʻolawe Fund. The bill is framed as a commemorative and cultural measure tied to the 50th anniversary of the Kahoolawe 9 landing and the broader history of Native Hawaiian sovereignty, environmental restoration, and stewardship of the island. It also amends existing law governing organizational special number plate decals to clarify design limits, including a maximum decal size and continued restrictions on trademark infringement, obscenity, advertising, and prohibited viewpoints. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 3000, which is a common placeholder effective date used in draft legislation.

Impact

HB307 would amend Chapter 249, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by adding a new special plate category for Kahoʻolawe and by modifying section 249-9.3 governing organizational special plate decals. It would give county finance officials, in consultation with police chiefs and the Protect Kahoʻolawe Fund board, responsibility for establishing the plate design and collecting fees, while also allowing revocation if fundraising renewal fees are not paid or if the plate fails to reach a minimum issuance threshold of 150 plates within three years. The bill affects vehicle registration administration, county revenue handling, and the availability of commemorative plates for Hawaii motorists.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests generally favorable sentiment toward the bill: the Senate Transportation and Culture and the Arts Committee passed it with amendments by a 5-0 vote. The bill’s findings and purpose section also reflect strong support for Kahoʻolawe restoration, Native Hawaiian cultural recognition, and public stewardship of the island. No committee transcript is provided, but the unanimous committee vote indicates broad agreement on the measure’s overall concept.

Contention

The main points of potential contention are administrative and financial rather than ideological. The bill requires coordination among county finance directors, police chiefs, and the Protect Kahoʻolawe Fund board, and it leaves several details to later determination, including the exact plate design, the fundraising fee amount, and the size dimensions for decals and plates. Another possible issue is the revocation provision if fewer than 150 plates are issued within three years, which could limit the program’s longevity. The bill’s content restrictions on plate design also preserve existing limits on religious, political, and discriminatory messaging, but no specific opposition is reflected in the available record.