STAND. COM. REP. NO. 24-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2122

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2122 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Teacher Housing Assistance Program to provide housing vouchers to certain eligible teachers; and

(2) Appropriate funds out of the Teachers' Housing Revolving Fund for the Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Public Charter School Commission; Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Education Caucus; and Aloha United Way. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Education and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO.

Your Committee finds that the State is facing a severe shortage of qualified teachers. Your Committee further finds that high cost of living and lack of affordable housing are major contributing factors to the teacher shortage. Your Committee believes that providing housing vouchers to qualifying teachers through the Teacher Housing Assistance Program will help alleviate the financial burden on teachers in obtaining housing.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting language that would have established the amount of, and applicability for, a housing voucher;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000; 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 Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2122, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2122, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Housing.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair