House Standing Committee on Housing

Good morning. Today is Wednesday, April 15 for your housing committee. Quick instructions before we start.

We probably won't have a time limit on testifiers, so don't worry about that. But and we are also on recess, so we don't have to adjourn before floor session. Please if you're on Zoom, please keep yourself muted and your video off while waiting to testify and after your testimony is complete. The Zoom chat function will allow you to chat with the technical staff only. Please use the chat only for technical issues.

If you are disconnected unexpectedly, you may attempt to rejoin the meeting. If disconnected while presenting testimony, you may be allowed to continue if time permits. Please note the house is not responsible for any bad Internet connections on the testifier's end. In the event of a network failure, it may be necessary to reschedule the hearing or schedule a meeting for decision making. In In that case, an appropriate notice will be posted.

Please avoid using any trademarks or copyrighted images. Please refrain from profanity or uncivil behavior. Such behavior may be grounds for removal. Alright, we'll get started. We have one resolution today.

SCR 48 declaring the intent that affordable housing credits are perpetual and remain valid until redeemed and requesting the counties to recognize these credits without expiration dates. Chair for the testimony.

We have OPSD in support. Thank you. DHHL in support. And Naiop in support.

Morning chair, vice chair, members of the committee. You know, on behalf of Naiop Hawaii, we stand in strong support of this resolution. I think it really clarifies the intent of what the purpose of the act was in 2024. And, you know, and just, you know, providing clear parameters for these affordable housing credits. So, I really appreciate you hearing this and I'll be able for any questions. Thank you.

Is there anybody else in the audience wishing to testify? There anyone on Zoom wishing to testify? Seeing none. Chair.

Thank you. Members, any questions?

Seeing none, we'll recess.

Alright. Reconvening the House Committee with resolution SCR 48. The recommendation is to move as is. It's similar to, it's very similar to the HCR.

It's the companion of it. Whoever's any questions, comments. Right. Vice chair for the vote.

[Roll Call]

Alright. Thank you. Thank you, members. Seeing no further business.

Before you adjourn, this is our final hearing of the year. Wow. For Housing Committee. We'll have a couple more exciting hearings at, in a moment. But for the, for the Housing Committee, I'll be in the semi hearing. And did just wanna take a moment to express deep appreciation to the advocates and stakeholders who have been dedicated with us throughout this entire, entire session here.

But especially to our, the vice chair, his hardworking staff. He's doing double duty here, doing really heroic work for the housing and the transportation committees, to my own staff and especially to HMSO, the other...of heroes in the building here, who do a lot of work to, to make sure that we can all do our jobs well. So, so, thank you to, to all the staff and then, especially to the members.

I think we have the best, you know, the best committee makeup in the house, so, I appreciate all of you guys for, for you, for your hard work.

But yeah, thank you, guys.

Thank you. Thank you, chair. And thank you to our IT staff as well.

Oh, yeah. Thank you, IT.

Alright. Seeing no further business, this meeting is now adjourned.

Morning convening the House Committee on Transportation for the 1005 agenda for several Senate Concurrent Resolutions before us for consideration, beginning with SCR 31 requesting the permanent transportation in coordination with the Department of Education to evaluate the recommended improvements of licensing. Training and workforce pipeline for school bus drivers in the state Vice chair for testimony.

Department of Transportation in support. State Department of Education with comments. Not present. City and County of Honolulu Department of Customer Services in support. Hawaii County Mayor's Office, Mayor Alameda in support.

Hawaii County Council Member Inaba in support. County Of Maui Mayor Bissen in support. Maui County Chair Alice Lee in support. Hawaii County Council member Jen Kajiwada in support. Anyone online or in person wishing to testify on SCR 31?

Cool. Morning, our members are please stand on the system in support.

Thank you. Anyone online? I'm seeing none, Jack.

Thank you. Members, any questions? Seeing none at the next agenda item, SCR132, urging the same county for the necessary steps of finalizing to utilize cable drive extension project. Vice chair for testing.

City and county of Honolulu, Department of Transportation Services in opposition. Free access coalition in support. I also got 7 individuals in support and 1 in opposition. Anyone online or in person wishing to testify on SCR132?

Thank you, Members. Seeing there is nobody to ask questions of, let's move on to our next agenda item. SCR145, requesting Department of Transportation to the Vena task force to evaluate brother and the state to implement a demerit point system for traffic violations for sure for testimony.

Department of Transportation and support. City and county of Honolulu Department of Customer Services with comments. Anyone online or in person wishing to testify on ACR145.

Thank you. Members, let's recess. I'm convening the 1010 agenda for the joint committees on transportation and housing for the purpose of reviewing the 1 agenda item, which is SCR110 SD 1 requesting department transportation in coordination with the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to working group to evaluate the feasibility of establishing state owned or state controlled warehouse and logistics facilities near ports, harbors and airports to reduce material costs associated with publicly. Sorry. Publicly finance holding projects.

I share for this company.

Department of Transportation with comments. HHFDC in support.

Thank you. Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters in support. Hawaiian Ironworkers Stabilization Fund in support.

Chair, Keelan Evzlin and Vice Chair Yaqui, members of the committee. Cody Sulo on behalf of the Ironworkers Stabilization Fund. We're in support of the resolution. However, we did find that the board composed in the resolution as a lack of representation from labor. So we did ask for a proposed amendment to add the Hawaii construction building trades executive director that would cover about 16 unions, there just because this would directly impact con the construction industry. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone online or in person wishing to testify on SCR110?

Thank you. Members, any questions? Let's recess. Thank you, members. So back to the the top of our 1005 agenda.

Members, SCR 31. For this one, the chair's recommendation is to adopt as is, and I appreciate the...introduce her for this measure. I know we've worked in several different measures in the last several years to try to figure out the path for this, and I think having DOT to work with DOE on something like this is imperative. So, with that, member,s questions, comments, or concerns?

Seeing none. Vice chair for the vote, please.

[Roll Call]

Thank you, members. For SCR 132, or for this one, members, we're gonna adopt asis and I wanna acknowledge that I think the introducers of this area is doing their best to try to work with the city, and obviously, the city is having a different perspective on this path forward. But I wanna acknowledge that the testimony that was filed in opposition, even though that's a formal, that's something that my office is consistently fielded of a concern.

There are members of this community that love the one way in, one way out because for them, they don't want other traffic. But I think at this point, I hope that this community can find a path forward for some sort of resolution of what that looks like. And I am confirmed with the Department of Transportation. Hopefully, in the next several weeks, we'll have the memorandum of understanding to sign to execute their emergency route in market. Seeing that, members, any questions, comments, or concerns?

I wanna know, and it's just because when we look at a situation like this and the price tag that it comes with for a matter of convenience, There's much more, there's much larger things. Now, had this thing been like my community has been fighting for an emergency escape route, an emergency way out in times of need, then that could be, but when hearing of the proposed price tag for convenience, I'm gonna know.

Thank you, Rep. Muraoka. I think to that point, it's been I think the large concern why the, we've moved to the position of just trying to urge the county because that is something they should really consider, so, I appreciate that comment. Members, any questions, comments, concerns? Seeing none. Vice chair for the vote, please.

[Roll Call]

Thank you, members. SCR 145, the chair's recommendation is to adopt as is. Any questions, comments, or concerns? Seeing none. Vice Chair for the vote, please.

[Roll Call]

Thank you, members. So, at the top of our 10:10 agenda for SCR 110, SD 1, the chair would like to adopt the HD 1 to make it concurrent with the HCR that we passed out, that it should be co-chaired by the department transportation with reporting...

And I believe in...we had the member from DHHL, and I also wanna adopt the recommended amendment put forth by the Iron Workers to request to have a member of the Hawaii Building Trades Council and/or their designee for that purpose. I need to make sure that the Senate will adopt the HCR to make sure that it is concurrent with the new HD 1 being proposed. So, members, with that, questions, comments or concerns? Vice Chair for the vote, please.

Voting on SCR 116. The recommendation is to pass with amendments. Oh, I'm sorry. 110.

Thank you. SCR 110, SD 1. The recommendation is to pass with amendments. Any reservations? Any no votes? Seeing none, the recommendation is adopted.

...Real quick. I wanna do the same thing that...said.

Oh, wait, I have to.

Oh, was that...vote?

No.

Oh, forgive me.

So, same, same request for the housing.

Oh...like this. Sorry.

Match, match the Transportations Committee. Any, any questions, comments, concerns? Alright, vice chair.

[Roll Call]

Thank you, and I just wanna thank you folks for working this session. The last two sessions actually of measures relating to transportation. I wanna thank chair Evslin, Vice Chair Miyake...holding it down, people showing up and having the very robust discussion that we've had.

This bracket is taking, if not one of the more heavier loads into conferences session, and I think it's reflective of the members' concerns in both chambers around transportation and housing.

And I wanna thank you folks for allowing me the opportunity to work with you all this last recession. So, seeing that, I will see you for the conference, and we are—oh, mahalo nui to my staff...staff, and our IT staff. But now, we're adjourned.