STAND. COM. REP. NO. 52

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 29

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 29 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE IX, SECTION 6, OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION, TO REQUIRE THE STATE AND ITS POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS TO PLAN TO PRODUCE ENOUGH HOUSING TO MEET DEMAND IN THEIR MANAGEMENT OF POPULATION GROWTH,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to propose an amendment to article IX, section 6, of the Hawaii State Constitution to require the State to plan to provide enough housing to meet demand in its management of population growth.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Imua Alliance and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, unemployment in Hawai‘i has risen to historically high levels, and that the State is experiencing the slowest rate of unemployment recovery in the nation. Your Committee further finds that housing costs have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your Committee additionally finds that these factors combined give rise to a looming eviction crisis. This measure proposes an amendment to the state Constitution to require the State to plan to provide sufficient housing as part of its management plan for state population growth, which will allow it to address such issues as the current housing emergency.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting the phrase "as provided by general law" at the end of the ballot question.

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. 29, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 29, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair