STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2348

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2046

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2046 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE IX, SECTION 5, OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION, TO REQUIRE THE STATE TO PRODUCE ENOUGH HOUSING TO MEET DEMAND,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to propose an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Hawaii to require the State to produce enough housing to meet housing demand.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the LGBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii; Building Industry Association of Hawaii; Rainbow Family 808.Com, Inc.; and one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and the Department of the Attorney General.

 

     Your Committee finds that non self-executing provisions of the state Constitution set forth principles only and require further implementing legislation before they can be enforced.  This means that the legislature can enact legislation that provides the standards and criteria by which the intent of the constitutional amendment can be effectuated. Your Committee notes that this proposed amendment to the State Constitution is designed to guarantee a right to shelter, which will be defined by the legislature.  Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Adding a provision requiring the legislature to set the standards and criteria to accomplish the amendment; and

 

     (2)  Amending the ballot question to reflect requirement being placed upon the legislature.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2046, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2046, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

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STANLEY CHANG, Chair