Hawaii-2024-HB338-Introduced

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that every four years, the world's greatest athletes convene at the Olympics for the ultimate trial of strength, endurance, and skill. Surfing, known as the "sport of kings", a time-honored pastime, revered cultural practice, and one of Hawaii's most iconic exports, debuted as an Olympic sport at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. During the Olympic surfing competition in challenging conditions off Tsurigasaki beach, Carissa Kainani Moore ably represented Hawaii with grace and power to become the first female gold medalist in Olympic surfing history.

The legislature further finds that Carissa Kainani Moore should be recognized for her contributions as the world's first Olympic gold medalist in surfing, a multi-year women's surfing champion, and an advocate for numerous charitable causes, including her support of local surf clubs, gender equity, and awareness of eating disorders. She was inducted into the Surfers' Hall of Fame in 2014. It is therefore appropriate that Carissa Kainani Moore be honored with a special license plate to further promote her legacy of gender equity in sports and in all sectors.

Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to authorize the issuance of special number plates to recognize and honor Carissa Kainani Moore.

SECTION 2. Chapter 249, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§249- Special number plates for Carissa Kainani Moore authorized. (a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the director of finance shall issue to any registered owner of a motor vehicle, who is a resident of the State, upon completed application and payment of required fees, a special number plate for the registered owner's motor vehicle commemorating Carissa Kainani Moore, to observe her contribution to Hawaii.

(b) The director of finance of the city and county of Honolulu, in consultation with the directors of finance of the counties of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii; the chiefs of police of the city and county of Honolulu and the counties of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii; and the executive director of Moore Aloha Charitable Foundation shall establish a special number plate design that:

(1) Contains words, images, or both, that indicate the special number plate is issued to recognize Carissa Kainani Moore; provided that the director of finance of the city and county of Honolulu may establish special number plate designs to jointly or separately recognize Carissa Kainani Moore;

(2) Is similar in shape and size to the uniform state number plate prescribed by law; and

(3) Does not obstruct the visibility of the number or letters or any other information that is required by law to be on a number plate and is readily identifiable and distinguishable under actual traffic conditions.

(1) Infringe upon or otherwise violate any trademark, trade name, service mark, copyright, or other proprietary or property right;

(2) Represent any obscene or degrading image, idea, word, or phrase;

(3) Advertise or endorse a product, brand, or service that is provided for sale;

(4) Promote any religious belief; or

(5) Promote any philosophy based on prejudice or that is contrary to state civil rights laws.

(d) Each special number plate shall be securely fastened to the motor vehicle in lieu of the uniform state number plate.

(e) The director of finance shall charge a special number plate fee at least equal to the county's cost of providing the special number plate and administrative costs, if any, plus a fundraising fee to be determined by the director of finance in consultation with the executive director of Moore Aloha Charitable Foundation. The fundraising fee shall be in addition to any other state or county fees collected for a motor vehicle registration or license plate.

(f) The director of finance may charge an additional fundraising fee, of the same or a different amount as the fundraising fee established pursuant to subsection (e), for the renewal of a special number plate. If an additional fundraising fee is implemented pursuant to this subsection, the director of finance shall not renew and instead shall revoke the special number plate of the registered owner of a motor vehicle who fails to pay the additional fundraising fee imposed by this subsection.

(g) The revenue generated by the fundraising fees, or a portion of the revenue generated by the fundraising fees as determined by the director of finance, shall be deposited in the name of Moore Aloha Charitable Foundation in a separate county budget account. The director of finance shall determine the most efficient means of directing the net revenue generated by the fundraising fees to Moore Aloha Charitable Foundation, as appropriate, to fund programs that promote gender equity across the State while developing world class water athletes as a tribute to and in the spirit of Carissa Kainani Moore.

(h) The director of finance may revoke all special number plates issued pursuant to this section if the total number of registered owners of motor vehicles who obtain the special number plates is less than one hundred fifty within three years of issuance of the first special number plate.

(i) Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to any plates issued pursuant to section 249-9.2.

(j) For the purposes of this section, unless a different meaning appears from the context, "special number plate" means a license plate that commemorates Carissa Kainani Moore."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	338
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023
STATE OF HAWAII