STAND. COM. REP. NO. 782

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1467

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 Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1467, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING RESILIENCY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Strengthen Hawaii Homes Program within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to administer grants to retrofit residential properties to improve their resilience to disasters and reduce potential insurance liabilities; and

(2) Establish the Strengthen Hawaii Homes Program Special Fund and appropriate funds out of the special fund for the Strengthen Hawaii Homes Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency; Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority; Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Hawai‘i Climate Advisory Team; Hawai‘i Workforce Funders Collaborative; Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS; and AARP Hawai‘i. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Office of Information Practices.

Your Committee finds that most homes in the State were built before hurricane protections were required and are highly vulnerable to wind and water damage. The lack of wind-resistant homes is one of Hawaii's greatest vulnerabilities when it comes to hurricanes, which are expected to become more frequent and severe due to climate change. Your Committee further finds that retrofitting homes for greater wind resilience and rising flood waters can materially increase the safety of residents and reduce expected losses in the event of a hurricane or other natural disaster. This measure therefore establishes a grant program to help Hawaii residents improve the resilience of their homes in the event of a natural disaster, which will help mitigate property losses, save lives, and minimize disruption and displacement in the State's communities.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language making documents, materials, and other information submitted to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism in support of a grant application exempt from disclosure, subpoena, discovery, or admissibility as evidence in a private civil action;

(2) Deleting the Strengthen Hawaii Homes Program Special Fund and changing the associated appropriation into an unspecified appropriation from general funds; and

(3) 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 whether funds dispersed under the Strengthen Homes Hawaii Program should be provided as grants or low-interest loans.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1467, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1467, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

SCOT Z. MATAYOSHI, Chair