SB 2996 Summary

• Establishes the Hawaii Airports Corporation as a separate state entity to assume all airport and aeronautics functions currently held by the Department of Transportation's airports division.

• Creates a nine-member board of directors appointed by the governor (with three members nominated by the House Speaker and three by the Senate President) and establishes a chief executive officer position to manage the corporation.

• Grants the corporation broad powers including authority to develop and operate airports, establish rates and fees, issue revenue bonds, adopt rules, and manage airport finances independently from state budget controls.

• Transfers all Department of Transportation aeronautics and airport powers, functions, assets, and obligations to the corporation by a transfer completion date no later than December 31, 2021.

• Makes the corporation exempt from certain state procurement and budgeting requirements, establishes it as a "jurisdiction" under civil service law, and allows it to employ a chief executive officer and other executive officers outside the civil service system.