Hawaii Aviation

A brief summary of laws enacted by the Territorial Legislature relating to aeronautics in Hawaii.

Act	Date Signed by Governor	Title	Purpose
3	11 April 1951	An Act Amending Section 1 of Act 31 of the Session Laws of Hawaii 1947, Relating to the Name of Honolulu Airport. (HB 704)	Changes the name of the airport to Honolulu International Airport effective April 21, 1951.
63	10 May 1951	An Act Ratifying and Approving an Agreement Between the County of Hawaii and the Hawaii Aeronautics Commission.  (HB 692)	Ratifies an agreement between Hawaii County and the HAC to provide the labor and materials necessary to repair the surface of the airplane landing fields at Kamuela and Upolu Point and to relocate the entrance road to General Lyman Field, as well as other necessary general rehabilitation work at all three sites.  In exchange the HAC would reimburse the County for these costs.
JR13	10 May 1951	Joint Resolution Exempting from Taxation the Gross Income of and the Privilege of Engaging in the Business of the Transportation of Property Only by Air Within the Territory of Hawaii, and exempting Such Business from Airport Landing Fees & Rentals. (HJR 42)	The gross income from the transportation of property by air within the Territory of Hawaii in aircraft used only for cargo by any person, firm or corporation transporting such property by air as a common carrier, and the privilege of engaging in such business, was exempted from the taxes proposed in chapters 101 and 106 of the RLH 1945 for a period of three years from December 31, 1950.
JR30	28 May 1951	Joint Resolution Relating to the Hawaii Wing of the Civil Air Patrol and Making an Appropriation From the Airport Revenue Fund in the Territorial Treasury and Providing for Its Expenditure. (SJR 47)	Appropriates $15,000 per year to the Hawaii Wing CAP out of the Airport Special Fund.
32	27 April 1953	An Act to Amend Section 2015, as Amended, of the Revised Laws of Hawaii 1945, relating to Public Health. (HB 462)	Adds a new paragraph to Section 2015 of the Revised Laws of Hawaii 1945 to read as follows:  “23.  Disinsectization of aircraft entering or within the Territory of Hawaii as may be necessary to prevent the introduction, transmission or spread of disease or the introduction or spread of any insect or other vector of significance to health.”
179	4 June 1953	An Act Providing for the Appointment of a Commission to Compile the Statute Laws, Prescribing its Powers and Duties and Making Appropriations Therefore.  (SB 268)	Act 179 of 1953 Compiles Revised Laws of Hawaii 1955; Creates Chapter 15 on Aeronautics; Chapter 16 Uniform Aeronautics Act and Chapter 17 Airport Zoning Act. Chapter 15, Revised Laws of Hawaii 1955 establishes a statewide system of airports which is intended to be self-supporting. This system of airports includes neighbor island airports which do not at present generate the level of revenues which are generated at Honolulu International Airport. These neighbor island airports collectively operate at a deficit, yet it is in the neighbor islands and the neighbor island airports which induce many tourists to travel to the State of Hawaii on the overseas air carriers which, in most cases, land at HNL. The introduction of the common fare plan and overseas landings at Hilo substantiate the close ties both economically and otherwise, which the overseas carriers have with the entire system of airports.
213	8 June 1953	An Act Amending Section 5404 of the RLH 1945, As Amended, Relating to the Tax on Aviation Fuel. (SB 537)	Amends Section 540-4 to increase the aviation fuel tax: “(2) For each gallon of gasoline sold for use in or used for airplanes, three and one-half cents.”
276	15 June 1953	An Act Relating to Exemption of Airlines from the Public Utility Tax and Providing That Other Taxes Shall Apply. (SB 737)	All airlines are hereby exempted from the payment of the public utilities tax; provided, however, that such airlines shall be subject to the payment of the general excise tax and the other taxes that apply to airlines and their properties in view of the exemption from public utilities tax.  Does not apply to the general excise taxes collected from public utility airlines. Effective January 1, 1954.
273	10 May 1955	(HB 758)
170	28 May 1957	An Act Relating to the Salaries of Certain Territorial and County Officers, and Making an Appropriation. (HB 702)	The salary of the Director of Aeronautics was set at $12,600 per annum.
JR17	22 May 1957	Joint Resolution Requesting the Congress of the United States to Enact Legislation to Authorize Certain Land Exchanges at Honolulu for the Development of the Honolulu Airport Complex. (SJR 53)	Asks Congress that the Secretary of the Navy be authorized to convey without reimbursement to the Territory of Hawaii, all of the right, title and interest of the Untied States in and to those portions of the former Naval Air Facility, Honolulu, and the General Supply Depot, Damon Tract, Naval Supply Center, Pearl Harbor, comprising an area of 77 acres.
217	31 May 1957	An Act Amending Chapters 123 and 129 of the RLH 1955, Relating to the Fuel Tax and the Proceeds Thereof.. (HB 631)	Amends Chapter 123 to add the definition: “Aviation Fuel means and includes all liquid substances of whatever chemical composition usable for the propulsion of airplanes. Section 123-3 was amended to add “this subsection shall not apply to aviation fuel sold for use in or used for airplanes.” Effective July 1, 1959.
JR32	1 June 1957	Joint Resolution Relating to the Hawaiian Aeronautics Commission, Authorizing the Issuance of $14 million in Aviation Revenue Bonds and Requesting the Congress of the United States to Enact Legislation to Approve and Ratify Such Authorization. (HJR 57)	Specifies that the monies will be used for the purpose of providing for the construction, operation and maintenance of airports and air navigation facilities, including acquisition of real property and interests therein, in the Territory.
JR36	1 June 1957	Joint Resolution Requesting the Hawaii Aeronautics Commission to Without the Actual Construction of its Proposed Expansion Project of the Honolulu International Airport. (HJR 69)	The HAC was requested not to begin actual construction of its Honolulu Airport expansion project into the Damon Tract area occupied by residents until February 1, 1958 to allow residents more time to relocate.  The commission was advised to allow Damon Tract residents to remain in their premises until January 31, 1958.
JR46	7 June 1957	Joint Resolution Memorializing the Congress of the United States to Enact Legislation for Extension of Federal Guarantees for Purchase of New Flight Equipment by Territorial Scheduled Airlines. (SJR 25)	Asks Congress to enact legislation for the purposed of helping territorial scheduled airlines to obtain new flight equipment through extension of federal guarantees for purchase of such equipment.
JR6	5 May 1959	Joint Resolution Requesting the Congress of the Untied States to Authorize the Secretary of the Navy to Remove Certain Restrictions to Land Situate at Wailuku, Maui, Territory of Hawaii. (HJR 102)	Congress was requested to amend Public Law 377, 82 nd Congress, 2 nd  Session, Section 2 (a) to read: “That the Territory shall not alienate its title to the property conveyed nor shall it lease the same or any part thereof except for public airport purposes; provided, that particular structures and parcels of land not required or used for airport purpose may be sold, exchanged or leased by the Territory with the consent of the Secretary of Navy, provided further that the proceeds therefrom or the property received in exchange therefore be used for airport purposes.
60	14 May 1959	An Act Relating to the Employees’ Retirement System of the Territory of Hawaii.  (HB 287)	Amends Section 6-20 of RLH 1955 to include Hawaii Aeronautics Commission firemen in the same retirement system as county firemen.
132	21 May 1959	An Act Relating to the Aeronautics Commission and Amending Section 15-3 of the Revised Laws of Hawaii 1955. (SB 913)	Amends Section 15-3 of the RLH 1955 to increase the number of commissioners to 10, six of whom shall be residents of the City and County of Honolulu, one each from the other three counties and one appointed by the Governor.  Describes terms.
224	1 June 1959	An Act Relating to Public Improvements. (SB 1162)	Appropriates $235,000 to the HAC for the Kona Airport Runway Extension.
245	1 June 1959	An Act Relating to Requirements of Bidding of All Licenses, Permits, Leases and Other Agreements Whereby a Governmental Agency Rents to Private Persons the Right to Operate concession for Profits and Operating Properties.  (HB 1549).	Empowered the Hawaii Aeronautics Commission to grant concession rights to ground operators (taxi operators) at several airports. The number of concessions was determined by need.
1	25 Nov 1959	An Act Providing for the Reorganization of the Executive & Administrative Offices, Departments and Instrumentalities of the State Government, and Making an Appropriation Therefor.  (2 nd Special Session 1959)	Known as the Hawaii State Government Reorganization Act of 1959. Created the Department of Transportation (DOT) in the new State of Hawaii to operate transportation facilities of the state, including highways, airports, harbors and such other transportation facilities and activities as may be authorized by law. Places the Hawaii Aeronautics Commission in the DOT for administrative purposes. Abolished the HAC on July 1, 1961 and their remaining functions, duties and powers were transferred to the DOT. Creates the Airports Division within the DOT.

Copies of all Legislation may be viewed at the Hawaii State Archives.