CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 183

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 898

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

C.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sirs:

Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 898, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO KUPUNA HOUSING,"

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna, which temporarily expands the State Rent Supplement Program to provide state rent supplement assistance and other services to qualified persons who are sixty-two years of age or older and are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless;

(2) Require the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to submit annual reports to the Legislature regarding State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna; and

(3) Appropriate funds for the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna; provided that the appropriated funds shall be in addition to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority's base budget for the State Rent Supplement Program.

Your Committee on Conference finds that as housing costs and inflation rise, kupuna who rely on retirement income from Social Security or are on fixed incomes are struggling to pay for basic necessities, thereby being forced to cut back on essential expenses, such as food, transportation, and medication. This measure will provide vulnerable kupuna with state rent supplement assistance and other services, thereby preventing them from being displaced from their residence and becoming homeless.

Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding the requisite information for making an appropriation in excess of the general fund expenditure ceiling pursuant to article VII, section 9, of the Hawaii State Constitution and sections 37-91 and 37-93, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Deleting language that would have required a person who qualifies for the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna to participate in the continuum of care coordinated entry system for homeless services;

(3) Clarifying that under the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna, the Hawaii Public Housing Authority shall:

(A) Provide housing counseling to assist qualified kupuna in obtaining or retaining permanent housing; and

(B) Coordinate with mental health services providers and other supportive services providers to assist qualified kupuna;

(4) Deleting language that would have exempted the Hawaii Public Housing Authority from chapter 103D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, in selecting an organization to administer the program;

(5) Inserting an appropriation amount of $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2023-2024 for the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna;

(6) Deleting language that would have allowed the appropriated funds to be used for an unspecified number of full-time equivalent (FTE) Public Housing Specialist positions within the Hawaii Public Housing Authority;

(7) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2023; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 898, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 898, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

____________________________ TROY N. HASHIMOTO Co-Chair	____________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI Chair
____________________________ MICAH AIU Co-Chair	____________________________ STANLEY CHANG Co-Chair
	____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE Co-Chair