STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1882-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.C.R. No. 128

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 128, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS, TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO COORDINATE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANNING TO REDUCE INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS FOR HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS DEVELOPMENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the Department of Hawaiian Home lands, to convene a working group to:

(1) Coordinate on opportunities for both departments to work in conjunction with capital improvement projects while also reducing the cost of infrastructure costs for Hawaiian homelands developments.

(2) Submit a report to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2027.

Your Committee has received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and one individual. Your Committee has also received testimony with comments from the Department of Transportation.

Your Committee finds that a key hurdle in the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands fulfilling its mandate of addressing backlogged applicants has been the cost of infrastructure. Your Committee recognizes that with the passing of Act 279 in 2022, $600,000,000 was appropriated for the Department of Hawaiian Homelands to address the backlog of applicants on its waitlist for homestead leases. Your Committee believes that creating this joint working group will allow the two Departments to coordinate their resources to allow for effective integration of transportation infrastructure with future Department of Hawaiian Homelands communities and for the Department of Hawaiian Homelands to more quickly develop its communities.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 128, H.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair