STAND. COM. REP. NO. 964

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 771

 

 

 

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. 771 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII HOUSING FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Repeal the requirement that the Chairperson of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC) Board of Directors be a public member; and

 

     (2)  Repeal the prohibition that certain ex officio board members shall not be eligible to serve as Chairperson of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation Board of Directors.

 

     Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

 

     Your Committee finds that the HHFDC Board of Directors supports HHFDC in achieving its mandate to assist in the construction of affordable and innovative housing solutions statewide.  Presently, existing law prohibits certain members from serving as the Chairperson of the HHFDC Board, to ensure housing goals and policies are commensurate with the interests of the communities served.  However, amending existing statutory provisions to allow certain ex officio board members to be eligible to serve as Chairperson will allow for additional perspectives to lead the Board while maintaining the legislative intent that the Board prioritize the needs of local communities.  Therefore, this measure diversifies the leadership of the HHFDC Board while retaining the existing composition of the Board.

 

     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. 771 and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair