STAND. COM. REP. NO. 800-26

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 Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2116, H.D. 2, 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; Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition; Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi; Hawaiʻi Primary Care Association; Hawaiʻi Community Foundation; Hawaiʻi Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations; Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!; Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute and Healthy Eating, Active Living Coalition; Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; and AlohaCare. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the League of Women Voters of Hawaii.

Your Committee notes the concerns regarding whether the Evaluation and Selection Committee membership should include a member of the Minority Caucus and whether the committee structure provides appropriate oversight of the proposed grant award process. Your Committee recognizes that these concerns highlight a broader need for a grant evaluation framework that preserves constitutional boundaries and ensures public transparency.

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. 2116, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

CHRIS TODD, Chair