STAND. COM. REP. NO. 494

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1406

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. 1406 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GOVERNMENT PROCEDURES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to establish the Intergovernmental Task Force for Permit Simplification within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to identify actions taken, challenges encountered, and legislative measures necessary to facilitate, expedite, and coordinate state and intergovernmental development permit processes.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation; Public Utilities Commission; Hawaiian Telcom; Hawaii Food Industry Association; NFIB Hawaii Chapter; Hawaiʻi Association of REALTORS; Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; Charter Communications; Housing Hawaiʻi's Future; and five individuals.

Your Committee finds that there is a need to simplify and expedite the permitting process in the State in order to reduce delays and create a more predictable environment for investment and growth. This measure addresses this need by establishing the Intergovernmental Task Force for Permit Simplification to facilitate, expedite, and coordinate state and intergovernmental development permit processes.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Establishing the task force within the House of Representatives instead of the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, and deleting the reporting requirement to the Legislature;

(2) Adding an additional member to the task force to serve as chair;

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

(4) 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.

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. 1406, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1406, 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