STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1039

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1294

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1294, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require and appropriate funds for the Department of Agriculture to establish an Agricultural Workforce Housing Working Group to address the shortage and challenges of agricultural workforce housing.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation; Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Agribusiness Development Corporation; Hawai‘i Farm Bureau; Hawai‘i Food+ Policy; Hawai‘i Farmers Union; and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Land Use Commission.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation to an unspecified amount; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1294, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1294, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair