STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2931

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2836

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2836, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MAUI'S PERMANENT HOUSING RECOVERY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish a council to coordinate the housing recovery efforts for Maui following the 2023 Maui wildfires.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Establishes the Interagency Council for Maui Housing Recovery to coordinate and facilitate Maui's permanent housing recovery and facilitate consultation and collaboration between state and county agencies on housing recovery initiatives for Maui; and

(2) Appropriates $500,000 for the Interagency Council for Maui Housing Recovery and to assist the state and Maui County agencies in applying for federal loans and grants.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Council Chair of the Maui County Council, and Maui Chamber of Commerce.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and the Office of the Governor.

Your Committee finds that establishing an entity to coordinate and monitor the State and County of Maui's housing recovery efforts will help to streamline housing construction for wildfire victims. Your Committee further finds that, due to the large number of members of the council and the potential that a majority of the members may not be present at all meetings, the majority of members present at any noticed public meeting should constitute a quorum for conducting council meetings.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that a majority of members present at any noticed public meeting shall constitute a quorum for the Hawaii Interagency Council for Maui Housing Recovery to do business;

(2) Changing the amount appropriated from $500,000 to an unspecified amount; and

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2836, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2836, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair