HB 329 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE SCHOOL FACILITIES AUTHORITY.

Summary

Clarifies that the School Facilities Authority is responsible for projects for facilities for prekindergarten, preschool, child care, and early learning programs; workforce housing; and any public school development, planning, and construction assigned by the Legislature, Governor, or Board of Education. Allows the School Facilities Authority to use the Department of Education for certain recruitment and hiring responsibilities. Allows the School Facilities Authority to partner with public and private development agencies to develop prekindergarten, preschool, child care, and early learning program facilities. Appropriates funds. (CD1)

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced Jan 16, 2025 Signed Jun 24, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB329_SD1 → HB329_SD2 · 9 edits

MAJOR

This bill amends the School Facilities Authority's statutory powers to clarify its responsibilities for prekindergarten facilities, workforce housing, and construction on non-school state or county property. It also authorizes partnerships with development agencies for prekindergarten projects and adds new powers for borrowing, insurance, and legal services. Three new appropriations totaling $180 million are added for specific school construction projects in Maui, Lahaina, and Mililani.

Scope change

The bill expands the School Facilities Authority's scope to include construction projects on other state or county property (authorized by legislature) and clarifies its role in workforce housing and prekindergarten facilities development.

SCOPE

Added responsibility for construction projects on other state or county property as authorized by the legislature

Added authority to partner with public and private development agencies for prekindergarten facility development

Modified workforce housing provision to specify it serves educators and other education workers in schools serving prekindergarten, elementary, and secondary grades

FISCAL

Added $100 million appropriation for a new middle school in central Maui

Added $30 million appropriation for a new elementary school in Lahaina

Added $50 million appropriation for a teacher housing project in Mililani

REQUIREMENT

Added new borrowing authority with specific federal compliance requirements and bond issuance powers

Added authority to hire independent attorneys for negotiations where the attorney general lacks expertise

Added authority to use Department of Human Resources for recruiting technical staff for capital improvement projects

HB329_CD1 → HB329_HD1 · 11 edits

MAJOR

This bill expands the School Facilities Authority's responsibilities to include workforce housing for educators and prekindergarten facilities, clarifies its role in development projects, and authorizes partnerships with public and private agencies. It also adds new powers for the authority to recruit staff, borrow money, and accept gifts or grants. These changes aim to improve efficiency in school facility development and support early learning infrastructure.

Scope change

The bill expands the School Facilities Authority's scope to include workforce housing for educators and prekindergarten facilities, and authorizes partnerships with public and private development agencies.

SCOPE

Added responsibility for workforce housing for educators and other education workers in schools serving prekindergarten, with provisions allowing development on land not owned by the Department of Education.

Added responsibility for prekindergarten, preschool, and child care facilities development, planning, and construction.

Added authority to partner with public and private development agencies to develop housing, classrooms, and prekindergarten facilities.

Modified workforce housing provisions to include elementary and secondary grades, with specific language about land ownership and state/public land requirements.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement that the authority meet all legal requirements for developing facilities on state or public lands when developing workforce housing.

Added authority to appoint independent attorneys for negotiations where the Attorney General lacks sufficient expertise.

FISCAL

Added authority to apply for and accept gifts or grants from public agencies, private individuals, and private entities.

Added authority to borrow money or procure loan guarantees from the federal government for authorized projects.

Removed specific appropriations for a new middle school in central Maui and a workforce housing project in Mililani.

ELIGIBILITY

Added authority to use the Department of Human Resources Development or Department of Education to recruit and hire exempt employees, architects, engineers, and other technical positions.

TIMELINE

Changed effective date from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 3000 (likely a placeholder or error in the draft).

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 30, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1).

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.

upper

Apr 25, 2025

Introduced

48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 04-30-25

upper

Apr 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 251).

upper

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 251) as amended in (CD 1).

lower

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 4 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, Miyake, La Chica, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Poepoe.

lower

Apr 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kidani, Lee, C., Chang, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 04-25-25 1:30PM in conference room 229.

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Thursday, 04-24-25 3:05PM in conference room 229.

lower

Apr 10, 2025

Amended

House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Introduced

Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 620) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Apr 1, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Gabbard, Chang, San Buenaventura, Awa; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Apr 1, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 11 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) DeCoite, Lee, C..

upper

Mar 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM/JDC will hold a public decision making on 04-01-25 10:00AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1275) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM/JDC.

upper

Mar 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EDU were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Kidani, Kim, Hashimoto, Kanuha, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EDU has scheduled a public hearing on 03-19-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 13, 2025

Committee

Re-Referred to EDU, WAM/JDC.

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDU/GVO, WAM/JDC.

upper

Feb 28, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 13).

upper

Feb 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Pierick, Templo, Ward excused (4). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 14 Ayes: Representative(s) Yamashita, Takenouchi, Grandinetti, Holt, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos, Ward.

lower

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).

lower

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 736) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Hashem.

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Committee

Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 118) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Jan 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 11 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Sayama, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to EDN, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 1

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 16, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

12 primary · 0 co-sponsors