STAND. COM. REP. NO. 522-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 2560

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. 2560, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a two-year-pilot program within the Department of Human Services to provide temporary financial stabilization assistance to families with students identified as experiencing homelessness;

(2) Fund the program through the Department of Human Services using allowable Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds; and

(3) Require Department of Education Complex Area Community Homeless Concerns Liaisons to make approved purchases.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Youth Commission; Opportunity for Youth Action Hawaiʻi; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

Your Committee finds that families with children experiencing homelessness often face urgent, short‑term financial needs that jeopardize housing stability and consistent school attendance. Your Committee further finds that addressing the financial needs of homeless youth and their families can prevent or reduce the harmful effects of unstable housing and financial instability and ensure that students experiencing homelessness can focus more on school and remain engaged in their education.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing language that required the Department of Human Services to allocate funds for equitable distribution;

(2) Specifying that other short term necessities are to be determined by the Community Homeless Concerns Liaisons; provided that the necessities are non-recurring and for a period that is less than four months;

(3) Clarifying that the flexible spending model and funds distributed under the pilot program are to be compliant with federal regulations for federal awards;

(4) Specifying that if any federally-funded payments are made to third-party payees on behalf of eligible families, then the Department of Human Services shall ensure that the third-party payee is in compliance with applicable federal, state, and county laws, including tax laws;

(5) Requiring the Department of Human Services and Department of Education to enter into information sharing agreements to ensure that there is no duplication of assistance already provided by the Department of Human Services; and

(6) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committee notes that the Department of Human Services would require additional resources to administer the pilot program proposed by this measure, including one program specialist position, which would require a matching general fund appropriation, to oversee the statewide coordination of services.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $400,000.

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. 2560, 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. 2560, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

LISA MARTEN, Chair