Hawaii residents in armed forces exempt from car weight tax

A bill introduced by Reps. Cindy Evans and Sharon Har, which expands a federal vehicle tax exemption to include Hawaii residents who are in the military, was signed into law last week as Act 141.

The federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act of 2004 only provided a tax relief on non-commercial vehicles to non-resident service members in Hawaii, excluding many local military members in the National Guard, Coast Guard and reserves from the economic benefit.

Rep. Har inserted these words, in strong support of the bill, into the House Journal during third reading of the legislative session:

"This measure provides equity for National Guard members who reside in Hawai'i. Other states have recognized the commitment of these servicemen to the state and the country. Given our isolation from the continental United States, in the event of a major disaster or emergency the Guardsmen deployed here are the primary support to first responders. This measure would not only provide the recognition that National Guard members receive from other states; it would also come at a very minimal cost. Therefore, I ask my colleagues to support this measure."