CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 129

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2013

RE:    S.B. No. 82

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 2

       C.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam and Sir:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 82, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Authorize the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to receive, use, and dispose of property and sell real property subject to legislative approval;

     (2)  Authorize the Authority to receive gifted property to benefit public housing residents under certain conditions;

     (3)  Authorize the Authority to engage the services of volunteers; and

     (4)  Require the Legislature to establish federal and state low-incoming housing preferences for tenant eligibility in any contract for financial assistance and preferences for tenant selection by the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, other than those established by federal law.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that projects that assist the Hawaii Public Housing Authority in rehabilitating vacant units need physical labor, electrical wiring, and plumbing.  Many volunteers come to the Authority to improve their community by creating projects and rehabilitating vacant units.  These projects contribute to positive community relations as well as provide needed housing for individuals.

     Your Committee on Conference further finds that the Hawaii Public Housing Authority selects tenants upon the basis of those greatest in need but that greater direction to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority is needed to determine the availability of units for applicants with and without preferences.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing language that would have required the Legislature to determine any preferences not established pursuant to federal law in regard to tenant eligibility or preference in a contract for financial assistance with the Hawaii Public Housing Authority;

     (2)  Removing language that would have required the Legislature to establish any preferences except for any preferences established by federal law in regard to housing and tenant selection by the Hawaii Public Housing Authority;

     (3)  Inserting language that requires the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to make available not less than fifty percent of available federal and state low-income housing units for applicants without preference and up to fifty percent of available federal and state low-income housing units for applicants with preference;

     (4)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2013; and

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 82, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 82, S.D. 1, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ RIDA T.R. CABANILLA, Co-Chair	____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair
____________________________ JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Co-Chair	____________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Co-Chair