CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 80-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2016

RE:    S.B. No. 2731

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2731, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOLS,"

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 help address the need for school infrastructure amid the construction of new housing units by:

     (1)  Clarifying that if a new residential development within a designated school impact district requires a county subdivision approval, county building permit, or condominium property regime approval, then the developer must also fulfill certain impact fee requirements of the Department of Education, even if the projects are processed pursuant to section 201H-38, Hawaii Revised Statutes, or section 46-15.1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, with the involvement of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation or a corresponding county agency respectively; and

     (2)  Providing that, in urban Honolulu, fee in lieu funds may be used to purchase completed construction, construct new school facilities, improve or renovate existing structures for school use, or lease land or facilities for school use.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that Act 245, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, established the law regarding school impact fees, including new methods of financing the development of new educational facilities and the expansion of existing facilities.  Since 2007, land use planning, development patterns, and preferences have changed significantly.  This measure will clarify the responsibilities of developers of residential property within designated school impact districts.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2016.

     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. 2731, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2731, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ ROY M. TAKUMI, Co-Chair	____________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair
____________________________ SYLVIA LUKE, Co-Chair	____________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Co-Chair