REPORT TITLE:
Special improvement districts


DESCRIPTION:
Allows counties to enact ordinances to create special improvement
districts to provide and finance supplemental maintenance and
security services and such other improvements, services, and
facilities within those districts as the county council finds
will promote business activity and make and finance improvements.
(HB753 HD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        753
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS.



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

 1      SECTION 1.  Chapter 46, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
 2 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
 
 3 read as follows:
 
 4      "§46-    Special improvement district.  (a)  In addition and
 
 5 supplemental to the authority vested in the counties by sections
 
 6 46-80 and 46-80.1, any county having a charter may enact an
 
 7 ordinance, and may amend the same from time to time, authorizing
 
 8 the creation of special improvement districts for the purpose of
 
 9 providing and financing supplemental maintenance and security
 
10 services and such other improvements, services, and facilities
 
11 within the special improvement district as the council of the
 
12 county determines will restore or promote business activity in
 
13 the special improvement district and making and financing
 
14 improvements therein.  Each separate special improvement district
 
15 shall be established by a separate ordinance enacted as provided
 
16 in the ordinance authorizing the creation of special improvement
 
17 districts.  The ordinance authorizing the creation of special
 
18 improvement districts may permit the county to provide for a
 
19 board or association, established pursuant to chapter 415B, to
 
20 provide management of the special improvement district and to
 

 
Page 2                                                     753
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        


 1 carry out such activities as may be prescribed by the ordinance
 
 2 authorizing the creation of special improvement districts and the
 
 3 ordinance establishing the special improvement district as
 
 4 permitted thereby.
 
 5      (b)  The county may levy and assess a special assessment on
 
 6 property located within a special improvement district to finance
 
 7 the maintenance and operation of a special improvement district
 
 8 and to pay the debt service on any bonds issued to finance
 
 9 improvements within the special improvement district.
 
10 Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, in assessing property
 
11 for a special assessment the county may implement such
 
12 methodology as the council of the county deems appropriate.  The
 
13 special assessment may be fixed in an amount or appropriated on
 
14 such basis as the council of the county deems appropriate and it
 
15 shall not be essential that the property subject to the special
 
16 assessment be improved or benefitted by the operation and
 
17 maintenance of the special improvement district or any activity
 
18 or improvement undertaken for, and financed by, the special
 
19 improvement district.
 
20      (c)  The county may issue and sell bonds to finance
 
21 improvements within the special improvement district and the
 
22 ordinance authorizing the creation of special improvement
 
23 districts may provide the method, procedure, and type or types of
 

 
Page 3                                                     753
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        


 1 security for those bonds.  Each issue or series of bonds shall be
 
 2 authorized by ordinance separate from the ordinance establishing
 
 3 the special improvement district.  The bonds shall be in such
 
 4 amounts, in such denomination or denominations, in such form or
 
 5 forms, executed in such manner, payable in such place or places
 
 6 and at such time or times, bear interest at such rate or rates
 
 7 (either fixed or variable), mature on such date or dates and
 
 8 provide such terms and conditions of redemption, provide such
 
 9 security (including the pledge of proceeds of such bonds, special
 
10 assessments, and the lien therefor), provide for credit
 
11 enhancement, if any, administration, terms of investment of
 
12 proceeds of such bonds and special assessment receipts, provide
 
13 such terms of default and remedy, and such other terms and
 
14 conditions, as the council of the county deems necessary or
 
15 proper.  The bonds may be sold in such manner and at such price
 
16 or prices as the council of the county shall determine.  Bonds
 
17 issued pursuant to this section and the interest thereon and
 
18 other income therefrom shall be exempt from any and all taxation
 
19 by the State or any county or other political subdivision
 
20 thereof, except inheritance, transfer, and estate taxes.
 
21      (d)  Notwithstanding any other law, no action or proceeding
 
22 to question the validity of or enjoining any ordinance, action or
 
23 proceeding permitted by this section (including the determination
 

 
Page 4                                                     753
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        


 1 of the amount of any special assessment levied or the imposition
 
 2 thereof), or any bonds issued or to be issued pursuant to an
 
 3 ordinance enacted as permitted by this section, shall be
 
 4 maintained unless begun within thirty days of the enactment of
 
 5 the ordinance, determination, or other act, as the case may be,
 
 6 and, in the case of the assessment, whether the determination or
 
 7 levy thereof, within thirty days after adoption of the ordinance
 
 8 authorizing or amending the assessment formula, and, in the case
 
 9 of bonds, within thirty days after enactment of the ordinance
 
10 authorizing the issuance of the bonds.
 
11      (e)  Exemptions.
 
12      (1)  Property owned by the state or county governments, or
 
13           entities thereof, may be exempt from the assessment
 
14           except as provided in paragraph (3);
 
15      (2)  Property owned by the federal government, or entities
 
16           thereof, shall be exempt from the assessment except as
 
17           provided in paragraph (3);
 
18      (3)  If a public body owning property, including property
 
19           held in trust for any beneficiary, which is exempt from
 
20           an assessment pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2),
 
21           grants a leasehold or other possessory interest in the
 
22           property to a nonexempt person or entity, the
 
23           assessment, notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2),
 
24           shall be levied on the leasehold or possessory interest
 
25           and shall be payable by the lessee; and
 

 
Page 5                                                     753
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        


 1      (4)  No other properties or owners shall be exempt from the
 
 2           assessment unless the properties or owners are
 
 3           expressly exempted in the ordinance establishing a
 
 4           district adopted pursuant to this section or amending
 
 5           the rate or method of assessment of an existing
 
 6           district.
 
 7      (f)  The assessments levied pursuant to the ordinance
 
 8 authorizing the creation of special improvement districts, the
 
 9 ordinance establishing a district, and this section shall be a
 
10 lien upon the property assessed.  The lien shall have priority
 
11 over all other liens except the lien of general real property
 
12 taxes and shall be on a parity with the lien of assessments
 
13 levied under sections 46-80 and 46-80.1.
 
14      (g)  Any board or association established for the purposes
 
15 of carrying out the activities described in this section shall
 
16 not be deemed a governmental body under chapter 103D.  The board
 
17 and association shall neither be deemed to be a government
 
18 department, agency, or a county nor to be performing services on
 
19 behalf of a government department, agency, or county.  Services
 
20 performed by or contracted for by such a board or association and
 
21 the positions of individuals performing those services, shall be
 

 
 
 
 
 
Page 6                                                     753
                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        


 1 exempt from chapter 76, sections 46-33 and 46-34, and any other
 
 2 applicable civil service laws; chapter 77; chapter 89; and
 
 3 sections 9 and 11 of Act 230, Session Laws of Hawaii 1998."
 
 4      SECTION 2.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
 5      SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.