Legislative session ends with hotel, cruise ship room tax increase to aid Hawaii’s climate fight – Hawaii News | West Hawaii Today

Hawaii lawmakers passed on Friday first-of-its-kind legislation that will increase the state’s lodging tax to raise money for environmental protection and strengthening defenses against climate change -fueled natural disasters.

The increased tax — dubbed “the green fee” and passed in the wake of the devastating wildfires that swept across Maui — is expected to raise $100 million per year.