STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3640

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 2171

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2171, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to allow the University of Hawaii to provide students with hands-on training by exempting the University's educational, enterprise-related activities from certain county zoning requirements.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that some of the University of Hawaii's hands-on, real-world instructional settings can resemble commercial operations, which subjects those operations to local zoning and permitting barriers designed for private businesses. Your Committee believes that exempting the University of Hawaii from certain zoning and permitting requirements while requiring the University to maintain its focus on instruction will help to strengthen workforce development efforts without subjecting educational activities to unnecessary regulations.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2171, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair