CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 92

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2017

RE:    S.B. No. 99

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

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. 99, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM,"

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 prohibit any county from disqualifying a legal nonconforming dwelling unit from the housing choice voucher program if the unit meets zoning and building code requirements and other program standards such as health and safety standards.

     Your Committee on Conference finds that a lack of available housing options is a critical issue facing the State's citizens.  Measures that limit housing availability have the additional negative effect of increasing home prices and rents.  It is therefore necessary to remove as many barriers to affordable housing as possible.  This measure confronts this issue by limiting a county's ability to disqualify a legal nonconforming dwelling unit from the housing choice voucher program, thereby retaining the availability of these units for section 8 housing.

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by changing the effective date to upon its approval.

     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. 99, 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. 99, 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

____________________________ TOM BROWER Co-Chair	____________________________ CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA Chair
____________________________ NADINE K. NAKAMURA Co-Chair	____________________________ WILL ESPERO Co-Chair
	____________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO Co-Chair