McKelvey’s Bills Focus on Tech, Creative Sector Growth, Marine Life

Angus McKelvey foreground image: courtesy photo. Background image, file of House floor. PC: Hawaiʻi House Democrats.

House bills introduced this session by Representative Angus L.K. McKelvey (West Maui, Mā‘alaea, North Kīhei) supporting business development and marine conservation have been passed by the full House and now cross over to the Senate for their consideration.

McKelvey, Chair of the Economic Development & Business Committee, said the bills will benefit both his Maui constituents and residents statewide.

“It’s important to remember that we need a strong business sector on Maui to provide income and jobs to our young people and to protect and preserve our natural environment for future generations,” said McKelvey. “I am thankful for the support of my colleagues in the House for getting these bills passed and believe these important issues will benefit residents across the state.”

Bills introduced by Rep. McKelvey this session include:

HB 339 HD1 RELATING TO TAXATION

Encourages the development of high technology businesses in the state by increasing the state tax credit for qualified high technology business research activities from 100 percent of the allowed federal credit to 125 percent of the allowed federal credit for work done in Hawaiʻi.

HB 340 HD1 RELATING TO HAWAII TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Appropriates funds to HTDC for the Small Business Innovation Research Program; the Manufacturing Assistance Program; and to the Alternative Energy Research and Development Revolving Fund for the purpose of providing grants to businesses that conduct research in alternative energy. Disallows HTDC grants to businesses that were awarded a competitive contract from the Department of Defense to research hydrodynamics and demand response.

HB 773 HD2 RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM

Restructures the Hawaiʻi Film Office and the Culture Development Branch into agencies of a newly created Office of Creative Film and Media Industries Hawaiʻi to better provide for job growth within the state’s creative sectors and ensure neighbor islands are integrated into the overall strategy for the growth of Hawaii’s creative economy. Establishes and appropriates funds for additional staffing within the Office of Creative Film and Media Industries Hawaiʻi to support the state’s investment in the industry. Renames the HawaiʻiTelevision and Film Development Special Fund as the Creative Film and Media Development Special Fund and expands the funding sources and uses of the Fund to support creative intellectual property and related infrastructure development.

HB 821 HD2 RELATING TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Authorizes the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism to enter into a public-private partnership to plan, build, and manage key strategic broadband infrastructure that benefits the state, including a cable landing station in Kakaʻako, on the island of Oʻahu, and to encourage cloud-based companies to take advantage of this infrastructure. Exempts the station from certain state and county permitting and land use laws.

HB 1563 HD1  RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM

Appropriates funds for the fiscal biennium 2019-2021 operating budget of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism programs.

HB 1133 HD2 RELATING TO MARINE LIFE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS

Preserves and protects offshore marine life conservation districts by limiting access to any marine life conservation district not accessible by land, to 50 percent of commercial permit holders at any given time.