HB1187 Summary

• Establishes maximum dollar amounts for distribution of cigarette and tobacco tax revenues to four non-general funds: Hawaii cancer research special fund, trauma system special fund, community health centers special fund, and emergency medical services special fund.

• Requires tax revenues exceeding the maximum distribution amounts to be deposited into the general fund, improving forecasting reliability of general fund revenues.

• Increases legislative oversight of agencies and programs funded by these non-general funds, requiring them to compete for additional public funds beyond the automatic distributions.

• Amends Section 245-15, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to modify the per-cigarette distribution amounts by replacing specific cent amounts with blank spaces and maximum dollar caps per fiscal year (to be filled in by legislature).

• Takes effect July 1, 2015.