STAND. COM. REP. NO. 493

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1405

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Economic Development & Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 1405 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PERMITS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish specific deadlines within the facilitated application process to obtain a permit and require the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to establish certain resources and processes to help streamline permit applications.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Charter Communications; Hawaiian Telcom; Hawaii Food Industry Association; NFIB Hawaii Chapter; Hawaiʻi Association of REALTORS; Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce; Grassroot Institute of Hawaii; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; Hawaii Operating Engineers Industry Stabilization Fund Political Action Committee; Housing Hawaiʻi's Future; and five individuals.

Your Committee finds that certain land or water use activities or construction projects that require state or county permits are required, in the case of state agencies, and are encouraged, in the case of county agencies, to use the facilitated application process under the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism. Your Committee further finds that the facilitated application process can subject applicants to long waiting periods, delaying housing, industrial, and commercial projects. This measure addresses this issue by establishing specific deadlines within the facilitated application process and requiring the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to establish certain resources for streamlining applications.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Allowing applicants for at least one state and one county permit to request the facilitated application process;

(2) Adding an annual reporting requirement for the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism on the status of the facilitated application process;

(3) Changing the number of positions established to an unspecified number;

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $125,000 and one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) position.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development & Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1405, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1405, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development & Technology,

____________________________

GREGGOR ILAGAN, Chair