#maui legislative package

Maui County Councilmember Gabe Johnson announced the introduction of state legislation seeking to mandate access to paid family leave for state and county employees.

Paltin pointed to news reports which indicated there were 20,000 rental cars on Maui prior to the pandemic last year, more than all other islands combined.

The Maui package includes 15 bills covering a wide range of issues, including the taxation authority and revenue, roadway safety, the regulation of hosting platforms for unpermitted vacation rentals and environmental issues like invasive species and sea-level rise.

All four counties face similar issues, including: liability, unfunded mandates for employee benefit packages, reducing costs through consolidation of services, and issues surrounding the transient accommodations tax or TAT.

Members say the unified front emphasizes the importance of the role counties play in the visitor industry and other economic sectors in the state.