SB 2467: Elderly Military Veterans; Motor Vehicle Registration Fees; Exemption

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to motor vehicle registration.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that many older military veterans live on fixed incomes and face rising costs of living.  The legislature further finds that reducing recurring costs associated with motor vehicle registration for older veterans promotes dignity, financial stability, and access to essential transportation.

     The purpose of this Act is to exempt military veterans who are sixty-five years of age or older from state annual vehicle registration fees for one noncommercial vehicle.

     SECTION 2.  Section 249-31.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§249-31.5  Exemptions from registration fees for certain vehicles; disabled veterans[.]; elderly veterans.  (a)  A disabled veteran who:

     (1)  Is a resident of Hawaii;

     (2)  Has been other than dishonorably discharged from the United States uniformed armed forces; and

     (3)  Is determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or its predecessor to have a service‑connected one hundred per cent disability rating for compensation or a service-connected disability rating of one hundred per cent,

shall be exempt from payment of all annual vehicle registration fees as required by section 249-31; provided that this exemption shall not extend to any vehicle used for commercial purposes or to more than one vehicle owned by the disabled veteran.

     (b)  The director of the office of veterans' services, in consultation with the policy advisory board on [[]veterans'[]] services, shall submit a report to the legislature and the department of taxation no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session providing the legislature and the department of taxation with the total number of disabled veterans who qualify under this section for the exemption from annual vehicle registration fees.

     (c)  An elderly veteran who:

     (1)  Is a resident of Hawaii;

     (2)  Has been other than dishonorably discharged from the United States uniformed armed forces; and

     (3)  Is sixty-five years of age or older,

shall be exempt from payment of all annual vehicle registration fees as required by section 249-31; provided that this exemption shall not extend to any vehicle used for commercial purposes or to more than one vehicle owned by the elderly veteran.

     (d)  The director of finance of each county shall administer subsection (c) and may require documentation satisfactory to the director to establish eligibility, including proof of age and proof of military service and discharge status."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

Report Title:

Elderly Military Veterans; Motor Vehicle Registration Fees; Exemption

Description:

Exempts qualifying military veterans sixty-five years of age or older from payment of state annual motor vehicle registration fees for one noncommercial vehicle. 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.