Excise tax increase begins tomorrow

The tax to pay for transit is just one law taking effect in the new year

Consumers on Oahu can expect to pay up to 4.712 percent with their purchases starting tomorrow, when the City and County of Honolulu's county's surcharge on the state general excise tax takes effect.

And people who earn the minimum wage will see a 50-cent-an-hour pay raise to $7.25 an hour from $6.75.

Those are some of the new laws taking effect Jan. 1.

The GET increase on Oahu may have the widest impact. The tax will increase 0.5 percent on Oahu to pay for transit.

For businesses to pass on the entire amount to their customers, the state Tax Department has determined that they can charge 4.712 percent.

Purchasing an item with a $1,000 sticker price will now mean paying up to $1,047.12.

The minimum-wage hike is a step toward making low-wage jobs pay employees closer to a minimum amount needed to survive, said Senate President Colleen Hanabusa (D, Nanakuli-Makua). The federal minimum is $5.15 an hour.

Because of Hawaii's high cost of living, workers need between $11 and $14 per hour to make a living, Hanabusa said.

"Unless we start to raise the minimum wage, we'd never get near to the point where people can earn enough where they can sustain themselves," Hanabusa said. "You don't want our state to become one of haves and have-nots."

Other changes taking effect Monday aim to reduce identity theft, make our highways safer, and preserve and sustain the limu supply in Ewa.

Businesses and government agencies that maintain personal information of Hawaii residents will be required to notify people affected by security breaches.

Another state law taking effect tomorrow requires government agencies and businesses that dispose of personal information records to do so in a manner that prevents unauthorized access or use of the personal information in the records.

And consumer credit reporting agencies will be required to put a freeze on the credit report of a victim of identity theft if the victim makes such a request.

Motorists operating their vehicles 30 miles per hour over the posted speed limit or 80 miles per hour face stiffer penalties starting tomorrow, including possible jail time.

First-time offenders face fines of $500 to $1,000, a 30-day license suspension, mandatory driver education, and either 36 hours of community service or two to five days in prison.

The minimum fine for second-time offenders increases to $750 and sentences of 120 hours of community service or five to 14 days in prison.

The penalties increase for motorists with three or more violations to a minimum $1,000 fine, license revocation for 90 days to one year, and 10 to 30 days in prison.

Also tomorrow, the state's child passenger restraint law extends to children up to 8 years old. Current law requires children under 4 to be in a child passenger restraint system while traveling in a vehicle on public roadway.

Children at least 4 years old but less than 8 do not have to sit in a child or booster seat if they are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall or heavier than 40 pounds. They will, however, be required to ride in the back seat of a vehicle and wear lap belts.

"If you can save one life, or prevent injury to one child, that makes it all worth it," said Capt. Charles Hirata of the Maui Police Department, who lobbied for the new booster-seat law.

People stopped for operating a vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicant and who refuse to submit to a breath, blood or urine test could be encouraged to change their minds under another new state law.

The law requires arresting officers to inform the operator of the sanctions for refusing testing. Sanctions could include a lifetime license revocation.

For people under 21 convicted of buying, consuming, possessing or selling alcohol after tomorrow, state judges will be required to suspend their driving privileges for at least 180 days. If they do not have a license or instructional permit, judges will be required to suspend their eligibility for 180 days or until their 17th birthday.

And starting tomorrow, people will not be allowed to pick limu in Ewa Beach. The restricted area is from the shoreline and extending 150 feet seaward, between the gunnery range and the boat ramp on Muumuu Street.