STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2333

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2658

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 Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2658 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:

(1) Require the Board of Regents to expend funds appropriated to renew, improve, or modernize existing University of Hawaii facilities for only those purposes and not for current, ongoing, or anticipated capital improvement projects; and

(2) Require annual reports to the Legislature.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi System.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General.

Your Committee finds that it is of critical importance that public funds are used specifically for their intended purposes. Funds appropriated to the University of Hawaii for Renew, Improve, and Modernize projects, or "RIM" projects, should be used specifically for those projects and not for current or anticipated capital improvement projects. This measure will hold the University of Hawaii accountable for its expenditures and promote the integrity of state infrastructure investments and ensure that the maintenance and modernization of public facilities are appropriately prioritized.

Your Committee notes the concern raised by the Department of the Attorney General that pursuant to the Hawaii State Constitution, this measure requires language identifying it as a matter of statewide concern. Therefore, amendments to this measure are necessary to address this issue.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language identifying the issue addressed in this measure as a matter of statewide concern; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2658, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2658, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair