STAND. COM. REP. NO. 34

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 670

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 670 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE LAND USE COMMISSION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Specify that a simple majority of affirmative votes by members of the Land Use Commission is required for any boundary amendment; and

(2) Reduce the number of days by when the Land Use Commission must act for certain actions related to district boundary amendments.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Land Use Commission and Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the State is in dire need of housing units, which is further exacerbated due to delays in permitting and approvals substantially increasing the time and cost required to build new housing. Your Committee further finds that the average length of approval delay in the State is three times the national mean, with some research showing the approval process taking up to ten years. Your Committee believes that the State can reduce these delays by clarifying that a simple majority is sufficient to pass boundary amendments and reducing the number of days when the Land Use Commission must act for certain actions related to boundary district amendments.

Your Committee notes the concerns of the Land Use Commission that reducing the number of days the Commission must act for certain actions related to district boundary amendments may cause extreme prejudice if sufficient time is not provided to the Commission to hear a petition.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have reduced the number of days by when the Land Use Commission must act for certain actions related to district boundary amendments;

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

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

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. 670, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 670, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Water & Land.

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

____________________________

TROY N. HASHIMOTO, Chair