STAND. COM. REP. NO. 440

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 548

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 Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 548 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE ACQUISITION OF THE SAINT FRANCIS SCHOOL CAMPUS FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaiʻi to issue revenue bonds and appropriate funds out of the revenue bond proceeds for the acquisition of the former Saint Francis School campus located at 2707 Pamoa Road in Honolulu.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi System and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Avalon Group and two individuals.

Your Committee finds that the University of Hawaii is interested in the property previously owned by the St. Francis of the Neumann Communities and currently owned by the Avalon Group at 2707 Pamoa Road in Honolulu because of its close proximity to the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus and the potential integration of the property into its long-range development plan. Accordingly, this measure would allow the University to be prepared to pursue acquisition of the property if it becomes available for sale.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

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

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 548, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 548, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

____________________________

ANDREW TAKUYA GARRETT, Chair