Informing the Legislature that on July 3, 2025, the Governor signed the following bill into law: SB66 SD2 HD3 CD1 (ACT 295).

This bill (SB66, Act 295) establishes an expedited permit process for single-family and multi-family housing projects in Hawaii counties, directly affecting developers and builders facing lengthy permit delays. It requires counties to approve applications within 60 business days of being deemed complete, or allow developers to request expedited review by submitting complete plans, infrastructure capacity evidence, and insurance documentation naming the State and counties as additional insurers. The policy aims to address Hawaii’s housing shortage - projected to require 46,573 new homes by 2030 - by reducing permit processing times that currently average 1-1.5 years. The expedited process is valid until June 30, 2031, without altering counties’ core responsibilities for code compliance and infrastructure oversight.