HB 2515 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO WORKFORCE HOUSING.

Summary

Establishes the Workforce Housing Regulatory Sandbox Program to be administered by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation. Establishes an advisory council within the Workforce Housing Regulatory Sandbox Program to advise on environmental and cultural practices within specific developments. Requires reports to the Legislature. Establishes a position. Appropriates funds. Repeals 6/30/2031. Effective 7/1/3000. (SD1)

Issues: ✓ Housing

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Governor

Introduced Jan 28, 2026 Last action Mar 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB2515_HD2 → HB2515_SD1 · 8 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised from the House version to the Senate version, updating administrative details like author names and revision numbers. Substantively, the bill expanded the authority of the Workforce Housing Regulatory Sandbox Program by allowing temporary waivers for 'other state approval processes' in addition to permitting and zoning requirements. The description was also updated to clarify that the program will be administered by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and to include the establishment of a new position.

Scope change

The scope of the program was broadened to include additional state approval processes beyond just permitting, zoning, and infrastructure requirements.

REQUIREMENT

Expanded the authority to grant temporary waivers to include 'other state approval processes' in addition to existing permitting, zoning, and infrastructure requirements.

Added a requirement to establish a new position within the program.

DEFINITION

Added a new advisory council member: the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Added a new advisory council member: the executive director of the Hawaii public housing authority.

Added a new advisory council member: the executive director of the Hawaii community development authority.

Added a new advisory council member: the director of the department of planning or department of planning and permitting for each county.

Added a new advisory council member: the director of the department of public works or department of facility maintenance for each county.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill description to specify that the program is administered by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

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

Mar 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

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

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Committee

Reported from HOU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3210) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Mar 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: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Chang, Hashimoto, Elefante, Rhoads; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HOU has scheduled a public hearing on 03-17-26 1:05PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to HOU, WAM.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 431).

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Kong, Pierick excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Mar 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 15 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Alcos.

lower

Feb 19, 2026

Committee

Reported from HSG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 569-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.

lower

Feb 13, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on HSG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Evslin, Miyake, Grandinetti, Kila, Kitagawa, La Chica, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Cochran; Noes: none; and Excused: none.

lower

Feb 2, 2026

Committee

Referred to HSG, FIN, referral sheet 6

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

16 primary · 0 co-sponsors