SB 26 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

Summary

Establishes the Affordable Housing Land Inventory Task Force to conduct a study, subject to legislative appropriation, to assess the viability of housing development in transit-oriented development zones or other areas on state or county lands. Requires a report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 8, 2025 Last action Apr 17, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB26_SD1 → SB26_SD2 · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised from Session 1 to Session 2, updating the legislative session number and amending the effective dates. The most significant policy change is the extension of the main act's effective date from immediate approval to July 1, 2050, while keeping the funding section effective July 1, 2025. Additionally, the appropriation amount for the task force was redacted in the new version, and the bill description was updated to include a requirement for a study and recommendations.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly require a study and specific recommendations from the task force, in addition to updating existing maps and inventories.

TIMELINE

The effective date for the entire act was changed from immediate approval to July 1, 2050, delaying the implementation of the Affordable Housing Land Inventory Task Force.

The effective date for the funding appropriation in Section 2 was retained as July 1, 2025, creating a gap between when funds are available and when the task force begins work.

REQUIREMENT

The bill description was updated to require the task force to conduct a study and make certain recommendations, expanding its duties beyond just updating maps and inventories.

FISCAL

The specific dollar amount appropriated for the task force in Section 2 was redacted in the new version, though the funding mechanism remains.

The entire Section 3, which appropriated funds for the Mayor Wright Homes affordable housing project, was deleted from the bill.

TECHNICAL

The legislative session number was updated from S.D. 1 to S.D. 2 to reflect the new session.

SB26_HD2 → SB26_SD1 · 9 edits

MAJOR

The bill was revised to move the Affordable Housing Land Inventory Task Force from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to the Hawaii Community Development Authority. The task force's duties were expanded to include updating existing housing maps, focusing on urban lands, and identifying sites for 100,000 new housing units, while the timeline for the final report was accelerated to July 2026. Funding was increased to $1 million, and a new appropriation was added for the Mayor Wright Homes project.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a general study of state and county lands to specific mandates for updating existing inventories, prioritizing urban redevelopment, and identifying 100,000 new housing units. The administrative home of the task force shifted from the planning office to the community development authority.

SCOPE

The task force was relocated from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to the Hawaii Community Development Authority for administrative purposes.

REQUIREMENT

New duties were added to update existing affordable housing maps and inventories, focus on existing urban lands to avoid new infrastructure, and identify lands for 100,000 new housing units.

The task force must now examine mixed-use development opportunities on underutilized state lands with existing government tenants.

The study must now include a viability assessment for housing development of at least 10,000 units per year for fifty years.

New members were added to the task force, including the Comptroller, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, and the Executive Director of the Land Use Commission.

A new provision was added to exempt task force members from Chapter 84 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes regarding conflicts of interest.

TIMELINE

The deadline for submitting the final task force report was moved from July 2027 to July 2026.

FISCAL

The annual appropriation for the task force was increased from an unspecified amount to $1,000,000.

A new appropriation was created from the rental housing revolving fund to support the Mayor Wright Homes affordable housing project.

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 17, 2026

Committee

Re-Referred to HOU/WLA, WAM.

upper

Apr 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-25-25 4:30 PM; Conference Room 225.

upper

Apr 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-25-25 3:30 PM; Conference Room 016.

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-25-25 10:30AM; Conference Room 224.

upper

Apr 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting to reconvene on 04-24-25 10:30AM; Conference Room 224.

upper

Apr 22, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-23-25 10:31AM; Conference Room 224.

upper

Apr 4, 2025

Amended

Senate disagrees with House amendments.

upper

Apr 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 454).

upper

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Woodson excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Mar 28, 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, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Alcos, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Hussey, Ward.

lower

Mar 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Pierick voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Garrett, Kapela, Kitagawa, Ward excused (5).

lower

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1484) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Mar 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Lamosao, Belatti, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Morikawa, Poepoe, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Woodson.

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Committee

Reported from HSG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1276) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to WAL.

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on HSG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Evslin, Miyake, Grandinetti, Kila, Kitagawa, La Chica, Muraoka; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Pierick; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to HSG, WAL, FIN, referral sheet 19

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Introduced

Received from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 67) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Mar 4, 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

Feb 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 10 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 3 Excused: Senator(s) Kidani, Kim, Lee, C..

upper

Feb 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 02-28-25 10:05AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Reported from HOU/WTL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 473) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HOU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HOU were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Chang, Hashimoto, Kanuha; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Aquino, Fevella.

upper

Feb 4, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HOU/WTL has scheduled a public hearing on 02-07-25 1:15PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 16, 2025

Committee

Referred to HOU/WTL, WAM.

upper

Jan 15, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 8, 2025

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

4 primary · 2 co-sponsors