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2025 Legislative Session
Every year, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands prepares and submits legislative proposals for inclusion in the Governor’s Administrative Package for the next session of the Hawaii State Legislature.
Legislative Timeline
June 17, 2024 – DHHL solicits legislative proposals
July 31, 2024 – Deadline to submit legislative proposals to DHHL
August 19, 2024 – DHHL submits draft legislative proposals to the Hawaiian Homes Commission
September 16, 2024 – HHC approves legislative proposals to move forward for consideration for the Governor’s Administrative Package
Draft Legislative Proposals
Legislative Proposals – Draft Bills and Justifications
| Legislative Proposal | Description | Senate Bills | House Bills |
| HHL-01(25) Relating to Independent Legal Counsel | This proposal allows the Hawaiian Homes Commission to retain independent legal counsel. Authorizes the Hawaiian Homes Commission to use the services of the Attorney General as needed. Provides that funds owed to independent legal counsel shall be paid by the State. | ||
| HHL-02 (25) Relating to the Commission on Water Resource Management | This proposal adds the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission or the Chairperson’s designee to the Commission on Water Resource Management. Increases number of commission members from seven to eight, with only five of eight required to have substantial experience in water resource management. | ||
| HHL-03 (25) Relating to Housing | This proposal exempts any development of homestead lots or housing for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands from general excise and use taxes. | ||
| HHL-04 (25) Relating to Historic Preservation Reviews | This proposal allows the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to assume historic preservation review of the effect of any proposed project for lands under its jurisdiction except for projects affecting properties listed or nominated for inclusion in the Hawaii register of historic places or the national register of historic places. | ||
| HHL-05 (25) Relating to School Impact Fees | This proposal exempts housing developed by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands from school impact fees. | ||
| HHL-06 (25) Relating to the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation | This proposal adds the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission or the Chairperson’s designee to the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation. | ||
| HHL-07 (25) Relating to the Hawaii Community Development Authority | This proposal adds the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission or the Chairperson’s designee to the Hawaii Community Development Authority. | ||
| HHL-08 (25) Relating to the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act | This proposal confirms that Act 130, Session Laws of Hawaii 2024, shall take effect on either the date of the Secretary of the Interior’s notification letter to the Congressional Committee Chairpersons that this Act meets none of the criteria in title 43 Code of Federal Regulations section 48.20, or on the date that the United States Congress approval becomes law. | ||
| HHL-09 (25) Relating to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands | This proposal appropriates funds to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for the investigation, exploration, and identification of geothermal resources on Hawaiian Home Lands. | ||
| HHL-10 (25) Relating to County User Fees | This proposal exempts the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands from county user fees, in the amount of $100,000 aggregate per year, and ensures county services to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for Hawaiian Home Lands. | ||
| HHL-11 (25) Relating to Sewer Transmission Lines | This proposal requires that all county sewer transmission lines on Hawaiian Home Lands in compliance or brought into compliance by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, are licensed or dedicated to the respective county within sixty days after the receipt by the appropriate county agency of a completed application for maintenance request. | ||
| HHL-15 (25) Relating to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands | This proposal allows the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to utilize the dwelling unit revolving fund as collateral when acting as an eligible borrower for a loan guaranteed under section 184A of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, as amended, and appropriates funds for this purpose. |