STAND. COM. REP. NO. 283-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1631

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 1631, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the School Facilities Authority to work with the Department of Education to prioritize projects for the construction of educator workforce housing for teachers and staff employed by the Department of Education;

(2) Require the School Facilities Authority to include in its annual report to the Legislature its planned actions to increase educator workforce housing; and

(3) Require the Department of Education to collaborate with certain state and county agencies to submit a preliminary report to the Legislature on the status of lands designated to be transferred to the Department of Education pursuant to Act 307, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; School Facilities Authority; Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; Housing Hawaiʻi's Future; Democratic Party of Hawai'i Education Caucus; Hawaiʻi Workforce Funders Collaborative; Holomua Collaborative; Hawaiʻi Community Foundation; Hawaiian Host Group; Aio; HPM Building Supply; Mana Up; Title Guaranty of Hawaiʻi; and two individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Disability and Communication Access Board.

Your Committee finds that the State continues to struggle from a shortage of licensed teachers. Your Committee further finds that the provision of affordable housing for teachers in Hawaii is a critical component in the recruitment and retention of teachers in Hawaii's public schools.

Your Committee notes that the lands to be transferred to the Department of Education pursuant to Act 307, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, contain lands that are or were previously under the jurisdiction of the Department of Land and Natural Resources or the counties of Kauai and Maui. Your Committee believes that development of these lands is crucial for the construction of facilities that will support not only public schools, but can also provide educator workforce housing.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1631, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair