STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2198-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.C.R. No. 177

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 177 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING AND GENERAL SERVICES TO CONVENE A COOPERATIVE WORKING GROUP TO ADDRESS STATE PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE COUNTY PERMITTING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Accounting and General Services to convene a cooperative working group to address state projects that require county permitting.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services and Office of Planning and Sustainable Development.

Your Committee finds that hundreds of state projects, totaling millions of dollars, face considerable delays in the county permit approval process, with the average approval length being approximately six hundred days. These extensive delays have significantly increased state costs due to inflation and are reported to be approximately six times longer than the average for private sector projects. Your Committee believes that establishing a cooperative working group focused exclusively on state projects will help identify systemic barriers, promote intergovernmental collaboration, and advance practical solutions to expedite county permitting for state facilities and infrastructure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 177 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Water & Land.

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

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JACKSON D. SAYAMA, Chair