STAND. COM. REP. NO. 454

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1604

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1604 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii for the development of faculty, staff, teacher, and workforce housing at the Kauai Community College.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, University of Hawaiʻi System, and University of Hawaii Professional Assembly.

Your Committee finds that the State's exceptionally high cost of living and the ongoing shortage of affordable housing significantly reduces its ability to attract and retain qualified educators throughout its school system. Your Committee further finds that increasing housing opportunities for faculty, staff, and the wider workforce supports a more sustainable and vibrant educational environment. This measure will address the State's critical teacher recruitment and retention challenges and improve the quality of education in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

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 S.B. No. 1604, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1604, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair