STAND. COM. REP. NO. 991

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 66

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 66, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to require counties to grant building permits within sixty days if the completed application is stamped and certified by a licensed engineer and architect and other certain conditions are met to effectively shift the responsibility for code compliance from the counties to the design professional for all single-family and multi-family residential projects.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, Hawaii Food Industry Association, Hawaiʻi Association of REALTORS, NAIOP Hawaii, Hawaiʻi YIMBY, Maui Chamber of Commerce, and five individuals.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Lāhainā Strong and one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Your Committee finds that according to the 2024 University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization's factbook, the State's permitting process takes nearly three times longer than in other states, despite efforts by counties to improve efficiency. Your Committee further finds that processing times for single-family home permits on average range from one hundred forty-one days in Hawaii County to three hundred fifteen days in Kauai County, with multifamily housing projects taking even longer. Additionally, the City and County of Honolulu faces a significant backlog, further delaying both residential and commercial projects and thereby raising housing costs in the State. This measure is intended to assist in keeping housing costs lower for the State's residents by expediting building permit review for single family and multifamily projects.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of April 23, 2057, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 66, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 66, S.D. 2.

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

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KARL RHOADS, Chair