SB 2227 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO RENTAL ASSISTANCE.

Summary

Requires the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to award monthly rent supplement payments on behalf of qualified tenants under the State Rent Supplement Program prioritizing certain tenants, including kupuna. Authorizes the HPHA to enter into memoranda of agreement for rental supplement payments with the counties or specialized nonprofit organizations. Amends provisions relating to the State Rent Supplement Program. Establishes the State Rent Supplement Program Special Fund. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to assess a transaction tax for each applicable recording in the Office of the Assistant Registrar of the Land Court or the Bureau of Conveyances to be deposited into the State Rent Supplement Program Special Fund. Repeals the existing separate State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna. Establishes four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) permanent public housing specialist II positions and one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) permanent public housing specialist IV position within the Hawaii Public Housing Authority. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Feb 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 14, 2026 Last action Feb 20, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB2227 → SB2227_SD1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was updated from a Senate version to a House committee version (SD1), changing the primary sponsor and shifting the effective date from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2050. The text was also reformatted to use 'transaction taxes' instead of 'transaction fees' and updated the appropriation section to specify new permanent job positions for the housing authority.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on the State Rent Supplement Program, but the effective date was significantly delayed, and the funding mechanism was expanded to include specific new job positions.

TIMELINE

The effective date of the law was changed from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2050, delaying when the new rules take effect.

FISCAL

A new appropriation section was added to fund four full-time equivalent public housing specialist II positions and one public housing specialist IV position.

DEFINITION

The term 'transaction fees' was changed to 'transaction taxes' throughout the bill text and descriptions.

TECHNICAL

The bill metadata was updated to reflect the new sponsor (Adam Weiss) and the House committee version (SD1) instead of the Senate version.

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

Feb 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.

upper

Feb 20, 2026

Committee

Reported from HOU/WLA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2564) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WLA recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WLA were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Lee, C., Inouye, Chang, Lamosao, DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Feb 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HOU/WLA has scheduled a public hearing on 02-17-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 26, 2026

Committee

Referred to HOU/WLA, WAM.

upper

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 14, 2026

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

4 primary · 2 co-sponsors