STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2939

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2803

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 S.B. No. 2803 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to better support the administration of services for homeless persons in the State.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Requires the Department of Human Services to submit a plan to consolidate the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions and the Homeless Programs Office under a single centralized entity;

(2) Requires annual reports to the Legislature from the consolidated entity;

(3) Appropriates moneys; and

(4) Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds for the Kauhale Initiative and related capital improvement projects.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the City and County of Honolulu.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions.

Your Committee finds that homelessness remains a complex and urgent issue that can be addressed most effectively through the coordination of services across multiple programs. Consolidating programs offered by the Department of Human Services will improve outcomes by requiring accountability, coordination, and the strategic use of public resources in a single centralized entity.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the Department of Human Services to submit to the Legislature a draft consolidation plan and timeline prior to the Regular Session of 2027 and a final consolidation plan and timeline prior to the Regular Session of 2028;

(2) Changing the amounts appropriated to unspecified sums; and

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

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 S.B. No. 2803, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2803, S.D. 1.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair