STAND. COM. REP. NO. 622-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2235

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 Economic Development & Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 2235, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE MILITARY AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism for the Military and Community Relations Office to strengthen intergovernmental coordination for military and defense activities.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Military and Community Relations Office; Hawaiʻi National Guard; Hawaii Military Affairs Council; and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that federal defense-related contracting represents a significant share of Hawaii's economy and provides substantial opportunities for local businesses. Your Committee further finds increasing the State's ability to compete for and perform federal work would yield substantial economic benefits. Your Committee recognizes that the Military Affairs and Community Relations Office is the State's central point of coordination on military and defense-related matters and that increasing the Office's funding would make the State more competitive for receiving federal contracts. This measure therefore provides funding to the Military and Community Relations Office to expand its work statewide and ensure that Hawaii continues to benefit from its strategic role in the Indo-Pacific.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $1,300,000.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Economic Development & Technology that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2235, 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. 2235, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Economic Development & Technology,

____________________________

GREGGOR ILAGAN, Chair