SB 1604: RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

Current Status:

Failed

(2025-12-08: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.)

Introduced

In Committee

First Chamber

In Committee

Second Chamber

Final Decking

Enacted

Version:

Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii for the development of faculty, staff, teacher, and workforce housing at the Kauai Community College. Effective 7/31/2050. (SD1)

Version:

SB1604 SD1

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1604
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the university of Hawaii for the development of faculty, staff, teacher, and workforce housing at the Kauai community college.

SECTION 2. The university of Hawaii shall develop faculty, staff, teacher, and workforce housing at the Kauai community college. The following tiered system shall be used to determine eligibility for housing:

Tier 1: Kauai community college students who are residents of the State;

Tier 2: Kauai community college faculty and staff;

Tier 3: University of Hawaii faculty and staff;

Tier 4: University of Hawaii students;

Tier 5: Department of education teachers and staff;

Tier 6: Other state employees;

Tier 7: Other county employees;

Tier 8: Healthcare workforce;

Tier 9: Agriculture workforce;

Tier 10: Workforce housing for families earning per cent of the area median income as determined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development; and

Tier 11: All others.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the development of faculty, staff, teacher, and workforce housing at the Kauai community college.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the university of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 31, 2050.

Report Title:

UH; Kauai Community College; Housing; Workforce Housing; Appropriations

Description:

Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii for the development of faculty, staff, teacher, and workforce housing at the Kauai Community College. Effective 7/31/2050. (SD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

SB1604

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1604
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to the university of hawaii.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the university of Hawaii for the development of faculty, staff, teacher, and workforce housing at the Kauai community college.

Tier 1: Kauai community college students who are residents of the State;

Tier 2: Kauai community college faculty and staff;

Tier 3: University of Hawaii faculty and staff;

Tier 4: University of Hawaii students;

Tier 5: Department of education teachers and staff;

Tier 6: Other state employees;

Tier 7: Other county employees;

Tier 8: Healthcare workforce;

Tier 9: Agriculture workforce;

Tier 10: Workforce housing for families earning per cent of the area median income as determined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development; and

Tier 11: All others.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the university of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

UH; Kauai Community College; Housing; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates funds to the University of Hawaii for the development of faculty, staff, teacher, and workforce housing at the Kauai Community College.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

Date	Status
Dec 8, 2025	Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Feb 13, 2025	Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
Feb 13, 2025	Reported from HRE (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 454) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
Feb 11, 2025	The committee(s) on HRE recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HRE were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kim, Kidani, Fukunaga, Hashimoto; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.
Feb 7, 2025	The committee(s) on HRE has scheduled a public hearing on 02-11-25 3:10PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.
Jan 27, 2025	Referred to HRE, WAM.
Jan 27, 2025	Passed First Reading.
Jan 23, 2025	Introduced.

Date	Description	Location	Votes
Feb 11, 2025	The committee(s) on HRE recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS	Senate Standing Committee on Higher Education	4 0 1 Passed

Key

Pro

Against

Did Not Vote

This list shows positions taken on this bill by organizations on the date displayed, which is linked to the original source.

Positions by individuals are not included.

* Testimony in a hearing

** Position recorded in bill analysis

*** Position recorded in written testimony

Organization	Position	Date
Department of Education	** Support
Office of Hawaiian Affairs	** Support
University of Hawaii Professional Assembly	** Support
University of Hawaiʻi system	** Support

* Testimony in a hearing

** Position recorded in bill analysis

*** Position recorded in written testimony

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 454

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1604

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1604 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 appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii for the development of faculty, staff, teacher, and workforce housing at the Kauai Community College.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, University of Hawaiʻi System, and University of Hawaii Professional Assembly.

Your Committee finds that the State's exceptionally high cost of living and the ongoing shortage of affordable housing significantly reduces its ability to attract and retain qualified educators throughout its school system. Your Committee further finds that increasing housing opportunities for faculty, staff, and the wider workforce supports a more sustainable and vibrant educational environment. This measure will address the State's critical teacher recruitment and retention challenges and improve the quality of education in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 31, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1604, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1604, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair

Date	Testimony PDF
Feb 11, 2025	SB1604_TESTIMONY_HRE_02-11-25_.PDF

Discussed in Hearing

1MIN

Authors shown for version:
SB1604_SD1 (2/12/2025)

SB 1604: RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII.

Current Status:

Senate Standing Committee on Education

Senate Standing Committee on Higher Education

Senate Standing Committee on Labor and Technology