STAND. COM. REP. NO. 527-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2116

H.D. 2

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 2116, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GRANTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Appropriate funds to the Office of Community Services to award grants to certain nonprofit organizations;

(2) Establish an evaluation and selection committee to oversee the awarding of grants; and

(3) Appropriate funds for positions in the Office of Community Services and for the Department of the Attorney General to assist the Office in reviewing contracts and monitoring costs.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Community Services; Aloha United Way; Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition; Hawaiʻi Foodbank; Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi; Hina Mauka; Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; Hawaiʻi Community Foundation; Hawaii Primary Care Association; AlohaCare; and Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!.

Your Committee finds that recent federal changes to community engagement requirements for able‑bodied adults without dependents have significantly increased the need for accessible, verifiable volunteer and training opportunities. Your Committee further finds that nonprofit organizations are essential partners in providing these opportunities but require additional support to expand capacity. This measure provides a smart, local solution by funding nonprofits to expand structured volunteer and training placements that meet federal rules and build employability, which will help Hawaii residents maintain their benefits and gain skills, while also strengthening the State's nonprofit safety net.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the appropriations to unspecified amounts.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of:

(1) $3,000,000 to the Office of Community Services of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations for grants;

(2) $65,000 for one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) temporary program specialist position to assist the Office of Community Services in awarding the grants; and

(3) $10,000 for the Department of the Attorney General to assist the Office of Community Services.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2116, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2116, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services & Homelessness,

____________________________

LISA MARTEN, Chair