STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3251

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2620

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2620, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LAND USE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize county land use decision-making authorities, in place of the Land Use Commission, to amend district boundaries involving non-important agricultural land or rural land areas greater than fifteen acres but no more than twenty-five acres if the land areas are proposed for reclassification to the urban district and at least sixty percent of the land areas will be dedicated for the development of affordable housing; and

(2) Prohibit parceling of lands for development for the purposes of a district boundary amendments by a county land use decision-making authority.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one member of the Maui County Council and the Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action, Hawaii's Thousand Friends, and six individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Young Progressives Demanding Action, and Sierra Club of Hawai‘i.

Your Committee finds that Hawai‘i faces numerous affordable housing challenges, including land and infrastructure costs, funding, and regulation and permitting. According to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism's report on Housing Demand in Hawaii, the State needs 64,493 housing units to meet anticipated demand by 2025. This measure represents a creative approach to address Hawai‘i's housing supply crisis.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2620, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair