STAND. COM. REP. NO. 50

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 606

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 Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 606 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOMELANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Extend the Act 279 Special Fund to June 30, 2028;

(2) Deposit funds into the Act 279 Special Fund and appropriate funds out of the Special Fund for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to eliminate its waitlist; and

(3) Require the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to submit a strategic plan to the Legislature detailing the anticipated uses of the funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; Kupaʻa Lāhui Alliance; Hoomana Pono, LLC; LIMBY Hawaiʻi; and eight individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands continues to make progress regarding the encumbrance of funds, expenditure of funds, and delivery of lots pursuant to Act 279, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022 (Act 279). Your Committee further finds that this measure will ensure that the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has adequate time to encumber and expend the necessary Act 279 funds and will secure additional funds that will allow the Department to continue to address its applicant waiting list.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts;

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

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $600,000,000 to be deposited into and appropriated out of the Act 279 Special Fund.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 606, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 606, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

LUKE A. EVSLIN, Chair