SB 375 Hawaii Senate · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO GOVERNMENT.

Summary

Establishes and appropriates moneys for a Select Commission on Government Restructuring within the Office of the Governor. Requires interim reports and a final report to the Legislature. Dissolves the Commission on 12/31/2027. Effective 1/1/2525. (SD1)

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 14, 2025 Last action Feb 10, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB375 → SB375_SD1 · 8 edits

MODERATE

The bill was renamed from SB 315 to SB 375 and significantly restructured to address Hawaii's housing affordability crisis and fiscal challenges. The new version establishes a Select Commission on Government Restructuring within the Governor's office to examine how state and county responsibilities should be reallocated, particularly in education, health, and public safety. Key changes include adding the director of corrections and rehabilitation as a commission member, requiring public hearings in each county, and setting a dissolution date of December 31, 2027. The bill also appropriates funding for the commission's operations and sets an effective date of January 1, 2025.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a general government restructuring proposal to specifically target housing affordability issues caused by non-resident property ownership and vacant homes. The commission's mandate now explicitly includes assessing property tax impacts on housing availability.

TIMELINE

Effective date changed from 2025 to January 1, 2525 (likely a typo for 2025)

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement for the commission to hold at least one public hearing in each county

Added requirement for commission to dissolve on December 31, 2027

Added requirement for commission to engage with stakeholders including community organizations and the public

Added requirement for commission to develop recommendations in accordance with current economic and social conditions

Added requirement for commission to engage with stakeholders including government agencies, community organizations, subject matter experts, and the public

FISCAL

Added specific appropriations for commission operations covering fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027

SCOPE

Commission membership changed to include director of corrections and rehabilitation instead of director of public safety

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 10, 2025

Committee

Reported from GVO (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 185) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Jan 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on GVO recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in GVO were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) McKelvey, Gabbard, Moriwaki, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.

upper

Jan 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on GVO has scheduled a public hearing on 01-28-25 3:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to GVO, WAM.

upper

Jan 15, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 14, 2025

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

4 primary · 2 co-sponsors