Federal judge upholds Hawaii's new climate change tax on cruise passengers
HONOLULU (AP) — A federal judge’s ruling has cleared the way for Hawaii to include cruise ship passengers in a new tourist tax to help cope with climate change, a levy set to go into effect at the start of 2026.
U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake denied a request Tuesday that sought to stop officials from enforcing the new law on cruises.
Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
kAmx? E96 ?2E:@?’D 7:CDE DF49 =6GJ E@ 96=A 4@A6 H:E9 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^92H2::\E@FC:DE\E2I\:?4C62D6\4=:>2E6\492?86\e522aafhb72b`b4362_27ebg6f7`5gf5QmH2C>:?8 A=2?6Ek^2m[ w2H2:: v@G] y@D9 vC66? D:8?65 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^92H2::\9@E6=\E2I\E@FC:DED\4=:>2E6\5dhaab5244f42d`bcf`3ff3345a3fhg2Qm=68:D=2E:@? :? |2Jk^2m E92E C2:D6D E2I C6G6?F6 E@ 562= H:E9 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^h__echh543e2chfg353`5`c_ebfd_dd_Qm6C@5:?8 D9@C6=:?6Dk^2m[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^92H2::\>2F:\H:=57:C6\E9:?8D\E@\<?@H\7e3e23`h5h367`_f27ge65cdc2de6fc7QmH:=57:C6Dk^2m 2?5 @E96C 4=:>2E6 AC@3=6>D] ~77:4:2=D 6DE:>2E6 E96 E2I H:== 86?6C2E6 ?62C=J S`__ >:==:@? 2??F2==J]k^Am
kAm%96 =6GJ :?4C62D6D C2E6D @? 9@E6= C@@> 2?5 G242E:@? C6?E2= DE2JD 3FE 2=D@ :>A@D6D 2 ?6H “T E2I @? E96 8C@DD 72C6D A2:5 3J 2 4CF:D6 D9:A’D A2DD6?86CD[ DE2CE:?8 ?6IE J62C[ AC@C2E65 7@C E96 ?F>36C @7 52JD E96 G6DD6=D 2C6 :? w2H2:: A@CED]k^Am
kAmrCF:D6 {:?6D x?E6C?2E:@?2= pDD@4:2E:@? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^92H2::\E@FC:DE\E2I\8C66?\7C66\4CF:D6\463_67a`6265a2bh_6cd2_da2hd`62e`Qm492==6?865 E96 E2Ik^2m :? 2 =2HDF:E[ 2=@?8 H:E9 2 w@?@=F=F 4@>A2?J E92E AC@G:56D DFAA=:6D 2?5 AC@G:D:@?D E@ 4CF:D6 D9:AD 2?5 E@FC 3FD:?6DD6D @FE @7 z2F2: 2?5 E96 q:8 xD=2?5 E92E C6=J @? 4CF:D6 D9:A A2DD6?86CD] p>@?8 E96:C 2C8F>6?ED :D E92E E96 ?6H =2H G:@=2E6D E96 r@?DE:EFE:@? 3J E2I:?8 4CF:D6 D9:AD 7@C E96 AC:G:=686 @7 6?E6C:?8 w2H2:: A@CED]k^Am
kAm!=2:?E:77 =2HJ6CD 2=D@ 2C8F65 E92E E96 E2I H@F=5 9FCE E@FC:D> 3J >2<:?8 4CF:D6D >@C6 6IA6?D:G6] %96 =2HDF:E ?@E6D E96 =2H 2FE9@C:K6D 4@F?E:6D E@ 4@==64E 2? 255:E:@?2= bT DFC492C86[ 3C:?8:?8 E96 E@E2= E@ `cT @7 AC@C2E65 72C6D]k^Am
kAm“rCF:D6 E@FC:D> 86?6C2E6D ?62C=J S` 3:==:@? :? E@E2= 64@?@>:4 :>A24E 7@C w2H2:‘: 2?5 DFAA@CED E9@FD2?5D @7 =@42= ;@3D[ 2?5 H6 C6>2:? 7@4FD65 @? 6?DFC:?8 E92E DF446DD 4@?E:?F6D @? 2 =2H7F=[ DFDE2:?23=6 7@F?52E:@?[” 2DD@4:2E:@? DA@<6DA6CD@? y:> |4r2CE9J D2:5 :? 2 DE2E6>6?E]k^Am
kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ 4@FCE C64@C5D[ A=2:?E:77D H:== 2AA62=] %96J 2D<65 E96 ;F586 E@ 8C2?E 2? :?;F?4E:@? A6?5:?8 2? 2AA62= 2?5 C6BF6DE65 2 CF=:?8 3J $2EFC52J 27E6C?@@? 8:G6? E96 =2H E2<6D 67764E y2?] `]k^Am
kAmw2H2:: H:== 4@?E:?F6 E@ 5676?5 E96 =2H[ H9:49 C6BF:C6D 4CF:D6 @A6C2E@CD E@ A2J E96:C D92C6 @7 EC2?D:6?E 244@>>@52E:@? E2I E@ 255C6DD 4=:>2E6 492?86 E9C62ED E@ E96 DE2E6[ DE2E6 pEE@C?6J v6?6C2= p??6 {@A6K D2:5 :? 2 DE2E6>6?E]k^Am
kAm%96 &]$] 8@G6C?>6?E :?E6CG6?65 :? E96 42D6[ 42==:?8 E96 E2I 2 “D496>6 E@ 6IE@CE p>6C:42? 4:E:K6?D 2?5 3FD:?6DD6D D@=6=J E@ 36?67:E w2H2::” :? 4@?7=:4E H:E9 7656C2= =2H]k^Am
kAms6A2CE>6?E @7 yFDE:46 2EE@C?6JD 2C6 2=D@ 2D<:?8 E@ >2:?E2:? E96 DE2EFD BF@ 7@C b_ 52JD @C F?E:= E96C6 :D 2? 2AA62=D 4@FCE CF=:?8]k^Am
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.