Organ center bill progressing HONOLULU (AP) — State lawmakers are moving quickly to fund an organ transplant center in Hawaii. ADVERTISING They could send a bill to Gov. Neil Abercrombie to sign as early as today. Both the House and
Organ center bill progressing
HONOLULU (AP) — State lawmakers are moving quickly to fund an organ transplant center in Hawaii.
They could send a bill to Gov. Neil Abercrombie to sign as early as today. Both the House and Senate held off on a final vote scheduled for Monday. The bill stalled in conference committee last session, but committee members were motivated to reach agreement quickly when they returned to the table last week.
Hawaii hasn’t had a Medicare and Medicaid Services-certified organ transplant facility since Hawaii Medical Centers closed its two Oahu hospitals in December.
That means that the 400 Hawaii patients on national kidney and liver transplant waiting lists have to get on waiting lists at mainland hospitals.
Panel advances ‘move over’ bill
HONOLULU (AP) — Two recent traffic fatalities involving police officers have state lawmakers urging motorists to “move over” when they see flashing lights on the road ahead.
On Monday, the Senate Transportation Committee advanced a measure requiring motorists to exercise reason when approaching stopped emergency vehicles.
That means drivers should slow down to a reasonable speed and change lanes to create a buffer between moving traffic and the emergency vehicle.
Hawaii is the only state that doesn’t have a “move over” law to protect its first responders.
On Jan. 21, Garret Davis was killed on the H-1 Freeway when his squad car was struck from behind. Davis had pulled over to help a stalled vehicle. In September, officer Eric Fontes was killed while assisting another officer with a traffic stop on Farrington Highway.
State eyes $35M in rental taxes
HONOLULU (AP) — Tightening regulations on vacation rentals could allow the state to collect up to $35 million more in taxes each year.
A bill before the state House aims at ensuring transient accommodation taxes are paid, even when Hawaii visitors rent their lodgings from out-of-state property owners.
The measure seeks to accomplish this by requiring nonresident owners to work with licensed real estate brokers and salespeople when renting out their homes for short-term stays. Those transactions would then be subject to the transient accommodation tax. Exclusive Getaways President Dan Monck told the House Tourism Committee the bill would allow the state to collect up to $35 million in taxes that currently doesn’t make it to the islands. The panel deferred action on the bill to work on it further.
