STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3087

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2218

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2218, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION ACT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920, as amended, to increase the loan limit for direct loans provided by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands from fifty percent to seventy-five percent of the maximum single residence loan amount allowed in Hawaii by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development's Federal Housing Administration.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Your Committee finds that under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920, as amended, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is authorized to provide direct loans to beneficiaries for the repair, maintenance, purchase, and erection of a dwelling, provided that these loans do not exceed fifty percent of the maximum single residence loan amount allowed in Hawaii by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development's Federal Housing Administration. Native Hawaiian beneficiaries are in need of more financial assistance due to rising construction and development costs. This measure raises the loan limit for a single residence loan amount to allow beneficiaries to purchase a home or make improvements to their existing home.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Making it effective upon its approval; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2218, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2218, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs,

________________________________

MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair