STAND. COM. REP. NO.  400-10

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2280

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2280 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HOMELESS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to assist the homeless by establishing a voluntary Return-to-Home program within the Hawaii Public Housing Authority (Authority) to provide assistance to eligible homeless persons to reunite with family in their home state.

 

     Several concerned individuals supported this bill.  A concerned individual supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Accounting and General Services and several concerned individuals opposed this bill.  The Department of Budget and Finance and Department of Land and Natural Resources provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Requiring the Authority to contact family members of program participants to obtain funding to assist with returning them to their home state;

 

     (2)  Clarifying that the Parks for Homeless Special Fund (Special Fund) will receive funds from a portion of the conveyance tax, matched by each of the counties;

 

     (3)  Including provisions that increase the conveyance tax by fifteen percent on homes valued at $1,200,000 and over to fund the Special Fund; and

 

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2280, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2280, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

RIDA CABANILLA, Chair