All Roll Calls
Yes: 209 • No: 25
HawaiiSB 382025–2026 Regular Session (Year 1)SenateWALLET
RELATING TO HOUSING.
Sponsored By: Stanley Chang (Democratic)
Signed by Governor
Summary
Requires the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to provide counties with an opportunity to comment on certain housing development projects. Prohibits the legislative body of a county from imposing stricter conditions than the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, stricter area median income requirements, or a reduction in fee waivers to housing development proposals that would increase the cost of the project. (CD1)
HHFDCHousing DevelopmentCountiesStricter ConditionsFee WaiversHSG, JHA
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Faster housing approvals, occupancy limits
The law lets the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation build or support housing projects exempt from government rules on planning, zoning, subdivisions, land development, and home construction. The corporation must find each project fits the housing law, meets minimum health and safety rules, and give the county a chance to comment. Projects cannot violate approved public-utility or water-board safety standards, rates, or fees. The county must decide on preliminary plans within 45 days; if it has not rejected them by day 46, they are approved. The county cannot add stricter conditions or income rules, or cut fee waivers, when that would raise costs above the corporation-approved amount. Final plans that do not substantially change preliminary plans count as approved; the corporation or county officials can certify plans for land records, and county reviewers cannot be sued over their review decisions. The Land Use Commission also has 45 days to decide on boundary changes; a request is approved if it is not rejected by day 46. An alternate approval path also requires all conditions above, bars income rules stricter than the state’s, and reserves every unit for qualified residents for the project’s lifetime. The law took effect upon approval.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Stanley Chang
Democratic • Senate
Cosponsors
Kurt Fevella
Republican • Senate
Troy N. Hashimoto
Democratic • Senate
SAN BUENAVENTURA
Affiliation unavailable
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 4/30/2025
Senate Floor Vote
Yes: 23 • No: 2
House vote • 4/30/2025
House Floor Vote
Yes: 43 • No: 7
Senate vote • 4/24/2025
The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS....
Yes: 3 • No: 0
Senate vote • 4/24/2025
The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS....
Yes: 3 • No: 0
House vote • 4/24/2025
The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments....
Yes: 4 • No: 0
House vote • 4/8/2025
House Floor Vote
Yes: 40 • No: 10
House vote • 4/2/2025
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ...
Yes: 7 • No: 3
House vote • 3/18/2025
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA...
Yes: 49 • No: 0
House vote • 3/14/2025
The committee on HSG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The ...
Yes: 7 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/4/2025
Senate Floor Vote
Yes: 23 • No: 2
Senate vote • 2/20/2025
The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT...
Yes: 3 • No: 1
Senate vote • 1/28/2025
The committee(s) on HOU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENT...
Yes: 4 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Act 294, 07/03/2025 (Gov. Msg. No. 1397).
7/3/2025SenateAct 294, on 07/03/2025 (Gov. Msg. No. 1397).
7/3/2025HouseNotice of Intent to veto dated 06/06/2025 (Gov. Msg. No. 1301)
6/6/2025SenateNotice of intent to veto (Gov. Msg. No. 1301)
6/6/2025HouseReceived notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 821).
5/2/2025SenateEnrolled to Governor.
5/2/2025SenateReceived notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 888).
5/1/2025HousePassed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 23; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Elefante, Fevella, Kim, McKelvey, Moriwaki. Noes, 2 (Senator(s) Awa, Ihara). Excused, 0 (none).
4/30/2025SenatePassed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with Representative(s) Perruso, Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Amato, Belatti, Grandinetti, Hussey, Iwamoto, Olds, Poepoe voting no (7) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1).
4/30/2025HouseThe Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Chang, Rhoads, Kanuha; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.
4/24/2025SenateThe Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Evslin, Tarnas, La Chica, Miyake; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Muraoka.
4/24/2025HouseThe Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Chang, Rhoads, Kanuha; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.
4/24/2025SenateReported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 77).
4/24/2025Senate48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 04-30-25.
4/24/2025SenateReported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 77) as amended in (CD 1).
4/24/2025HouseForty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 04-30-25.
4/24/2025HouseConference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-24-25 10:30AM; Conference Room 224.
4/23/2025SenateConference committee meeting scheduled for 04-23-25 10:31AM; Conference Room 224.
4/22/2025SenateSenate Conferees Appointed: Chang Chair; Rhoads Co-Chair; Kanuha, Fevella.
4/21/2025SenateReceived notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 848).
4/21/2025HouseReceived notice of appointment of House conferees (Hse. Com. No. 731).
4/15/2025SenateHouse Conferees Appointed: Evslin, Tarnas Co-Chairs; La Chica, Miyake, Muraoka.
4/14/2025HouseReceived from House (Hse. Com. No. 626).
4/10/2025SenateSenate disagrees with House amendments.
4/10/2025SenateReceived notice of disagreement (Sen. Com. No. 779).
4/10/2025House
Bill Text
Bill Text
Original
SB38_CD1
SB38_HD1
SB38_HD2
SB38_SD1
SB38_SD2
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