Customs Tariff Amendment (No. 2) Act 2023

What this bill does

This bill changes import taxes (customs duties) on certain goods coming into Bermuda. It increases taxes on loose tobacco, updates rules for importing goods for sports facilities and hospitals, and creates new tax breaks for day care centers importing equipment and supplies.

If passed (voted YES)

• Loose tobacco will cost significantly more to import, with duties jumping from 35% to $500 per kilogram
• Day care centers and providers can import furniture, toys, safety equipment, and other supplies without paying import duties
• Sports facilities will have clearer rules about what goods qualify for duty-free import, and hospitals get more time to import certain supplies duty-free

If rejected (voted NO)

• Import taxes on loose tobacco stay at the current 35% rate instead of the much higher fixed fee
• Day care centers continue paying full import duties on equipment and supplies, making these items more expensive
• Current rules for sports facilities and hospital imports remain unchanged, with some hospital supply exemptions expiring in September 2023

Who it affects

This primarily affects tobacco importers and users (who will face higher costs), day care center operators (who will save money on imports), and organizations running community sports facilities or hospitals importing supplies.