FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                    April 28, 2006   Release M-47-06

MAYOR SIGNS FOUR BILLS INTO LAW

            Mayor Mufi Hannemann today (Friday, April 28, 2006) signed into law:

·   Bill 13 (2006) CD1, relating to waiver of building permit fees. The bill directs the Department of Planning and Permitting to amend the City's building code to waive building permit fees for  the rehabilitation or reconstruction of homes on Hawaiian Home Lands. The bill is intended to encourage residents on homestead lease lands to replace and build new homes. There are approximately 400 to 500 eligible properties on Oahu.

·   Bill 17 (2006), relating to motor vehicle weight tax for buses used as temporary shelters for homeless. The bill aims to reduce homelessness by exempting vehicles converted into temporary homeless shelters from the motor vehicle weight tax.  Administrative rules would have to be promulgated.

·   Bill 19 (2006) CD1, FD1, which appropriates $8.9 million to address agency shortages due to unanticipated increases in fuel and electricity costs citywide and unanticipated salary and current expense costs in the Department of the Medical Examiner and the Department of Emergency Services' Ocean Safety Division. The City Council added to the bill $50,000 for the Filipino Centennial Commission, $10,000 for the Hawaii International Jazz Festival and $50,000 for the Honolulu Zoo to match a Hawaii Tourism Authority grant.

·    Bill 26, which amends a portion of Section 8-13.1 and 8-13.3 of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu by replacing the term "mortgagee" to "mortgage lender." This bill would also allow submittal of a copy of the title holders' federal tax returns in lieu of a certified copy. 

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Contact:

Bill Brennan, 527-6928

Mark Matsunaga, 527-5767