HB 606 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOMELANDS.

Summary

Appropriates funds to be used by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for mercantile projects, as well as lump sum repair and maintenance, in fiscal year 2025-2026. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Issues: ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Apr 24, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB606_HD1 → HB606_SD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten from a housing-focused measure to a commercial development measure. The original version addressed the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' waitlist for residential, agricultural, and pastoral leases, while the new version focuses on funding mercantile projects (stores, markets, theaters) and general repairs. This represents a fundamental shift in policy direction from addressing housing needs to supporting commercial entrepreneurship.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from addressing housing waitlists and trust land leases to funding mercantile establishments and repair/maintenance projects.

SCOPE

Removed all provisions related to the 29,000-person housing waitlist, residential leases, and agricultural/pastoral lease funding.

Added authority to grant licenses for mercantile establishments owned by native Hawaiians, including theaters, markets, and stores.

FISCAL

Added $25,000,000 for mercantile projects and $25,000,000 for lump sum repair and maintenance, totaling $50,000,000 in new appropriations.

REQUIREMENT

Removed requirements for the department to submit strategic plans and reports on housing waitlist elimination.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from June 30, 2028 (for fund sunset) to July 1, 3000 (making the appropriation permanent).

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 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Friday 04-25-25 1:30PM in conference room 325.

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference Committee Meeting will reconvene on Thursday 04-24-25 2:00PM in conference room 325.

lower

Apr 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

Bill scheduled for Conference Committee Meeting on Wednesday, 04-23-25 10:00AM in conference room 224.

lower

Apr 10, 2025

Amended

House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Introduced

Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 657) in amended form (SD 1).

lower

Apr 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . Noes, 0 (none). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Apr 3, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 13 Aye(s): Senator(s) Dela Cruz, Moriwaki, Aquino, DeCoite, Elefante, Hashimoto, Inouye, Kanuha, Kidani, Kim, Lee, C., Wakai, Fevella; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Apr 1, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on WAM will hold a public decision making on 04-03-25 10:01AM; Conference Room 211 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 21, 2025

Committee

Reported from HWN/HOU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1283) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and referral to WAM.

upper

Mar 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Mar 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HWN recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in HWN were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Richards, San Buenaventura, Ihara, Keohokalole; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) DeCorte; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee on HOU has deleted the measure from decision making scheduled on 03-13-25 1:00PM; CR 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HWN/HOU has scheduled a public hearing on 03-11-25 1:05PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to HWN/HOU, WAM.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 259).

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Feb 25, 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, Kusch, Lamosao, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Templo, Alcos, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Kitagawa, Ward.

lower

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN 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. 732), recommending referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. 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 3, 2025

Committee

Reported from HSG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 50) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Jan 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on HSG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Evslin, Miyake, Grandinetti, Kila, Kitagawa, La Chica, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to HSG, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 2

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

19 primary · 0 co-sponsors