STAND. COM. REP. NO. 780-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1967

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 Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1967, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PERMITTING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require and appropriate funds for the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to:

(1) Develop a permitting workforce pipeline in partnership with the University of Hawaii and community colleges; and

(2) Coordinate with state and county permitting agencies on certain tasks related to the classification levels, salary and benefits, hiring, and responsibilities of employees.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Chamber of Commerce Hawaiʻi; Holomua Collaborative; Hawaiʻi Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi System and BOMA Hawaiʻi.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1967, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

CHRIS TODD, Chair