RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

SB2558

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2558

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to transportation
.

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

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SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that a recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study of
nearly 18,000 pedestrian crashes concluded that vehicles having a hood height
greater than forty inches are approximately forty-five per cent more likely to
cause fatalities in pedestrian crashes when compared with cars and other
vehicles with hood heights of thirty inches or less.
�
The legislature also finds that, in 2020, more
than 42,000 people were killed and 4,800,000 seriously injured on United States
roadways, an eight per cent increase from the year before.
�
The legislature further finds that recent consumer
trends indicate increasing sales of larger vehicles, which poses a risk to
pedestrians.
�
The legislature further
finds that school areas are at particular risk of drivers of larger and taller
vehicles being unable to see pedestrians.

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Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
establish an annual vehicle registration surcharge for vehicles having a hood
height greater than forty inches, for deposit into the safe routes to school
program special fund.

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SECTION
2
.
�
Section 249-31, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

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"
�249-31
�
State
registration fee.
�
(a)
�
All
vehicles and motor vehicles in the State as defined in section 249-1, including
antique motor vehicles, except as otherwise provided in sections 249-4, 249-6,
and 249
‑
31.5, shall be subject to a $46
annual vehicle registration
fee
; provided that [
alternative
]
:

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(1)
�
Alternative
fuel vehicles shall pay an
annual vehicle registration surcharge of $50[
, which
]
; and

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(2)
�
Vehicles having a hood height greater than forty
inches shall pay an annual vehicle registration surcharge of $20 for each inch
that the vehicle's hood height exceeds forty inches; provided that this
paragraph shall not apply to buses, ambulances, or vehicles categorized by the
Federal Highway Administration as class 5 or greater.

Annual vehicle registration
surcharges
shall be assessed and
collected beginning with the first registration renewal for every [
alternative
fuel
] vehicle [
and shall be deposited into the state highway fund
established under section 248-8.
�
The
surcharge
]
subject to paragraphs (1) and (2).
�
Surcharges
shall be paid each year
together with all other taxes and fees levied by this chapter on a staggered
basis as established by each county as authorized by section 286-51, and the
state registration for that county shall likewise be staggered so that the
state registration fee is due and payable at the same time and shall be
collected together with the county fee.
�

The state registration fee shall be deemed delinquent if not paid with
the county registration fee.
�
The
respective counties shall collect this fee together with the vehicle
registration tax collected for the county and shall transfer the moneys
collected under this section to the State.

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For the purposes of this subsection, "alternative fuel
vehicle" means a vehicle powered by a non-petroleum-based fuel, but
excludes an electric vehicle as defined in section 249‑36(g).

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(b)
�
[
In addition to the annual vehicle
registration surcharge fee, for
]
Fees collected under this section shall
be disposed of as follows:

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(1)
�
From

each annual motor vehicle registration fee, the director shall deposit $40 into
the state highway fund, $5 into the emergency medical services special fund,
and $1 into the accessible parking special account[
.
]
;

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(2)
�
Annual
vehicle registration surcharge fees collected pursuant to subsection (a)(1)
shall be deposited into the state highway fund established under section 248‑8;
and

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(3)
�
Annual
vehicle registration surcharge fees collected pursuant to subsection (a)(2)
shall be deposited into the safe routes to school program special fund
established under section 291C-4.
"

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SECTION
3
.
�
Section 291C-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
�291C-4
�
Safe
routes
to school program special fund; establishment.
�
There is established in the state treasury
the safe routes to school program special fund, into which shall be deposited:

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(1)
�
Vehicle registration surcharge fees
collected pursuant to section 249-31;

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[
(1)
]

(2)
�
Assessments
collected for speeding in
a school zone, pursuant to section 291C-104; and

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[
(2)
]

(3)
�

Safe routes to school program surcharges collected in accordance with
sections 291-16 and 291C‑5."

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SECTION 4.
�

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

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SECTION 5.
�

This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Motor
Vehicles; State Registration Fee; Tall Vehicles; Surcharge; Safe Routes to
School Program Special Fund

Description:

Establishes
an annual vehicle registration surcharge for vehicles having a hood height
greater than 40 inches for deposit into the safe routes to school program
special fund.

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