STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3216

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2116

H.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor and Technology, 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 and intent of this measure is to:

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

(2) Establish an Evaluation and Selection Committee to oversee the awarding of grants;

(3) Require an applicant for a grant to provide certain documentation on activities that qualify for community engagement hours to qualify for the grant; and

(4) Appropriate funds for positions in OCS and for the Department of the Attorney General to assist OCS in reviewing contracts and monitoring costs.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Office of Community Services, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, Hina Mauka, Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations, Project Dana, Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!, AlohaCare, and Institute for Human Services.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the League of Women Voters of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that there is an immediate need for increased access to eligible volunteer and training opportunities due to the federal government now requiring community engagement for able-bodied adults without dependents in order for them to qualify for certain federal assistance programs. Your Committee further finds that insufficient availability of structured programs providing variable hours undermines compliance with federal requirements and places vulnerable residents at risk of losing critical benefits. This measure expands accessible pathways for residents to meet the federal eligibility requirements while supporting the development of workforce skills.

Your Committee notes that although this measure contains unspecified appropriation amounts, should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider inserting an appropriation amount of $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 $10,000 for the Department of the Attorney General to assist the Office of Community Services in reviewing contracts and monitoring costs.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor and Technology 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 Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Labor and Technology,

________________________________

BRANDON J.C. ELEFANTE, Chair