RELATING TO HOUSING.
Summary
Establishes the Kamaaina Homes Program to provide funding to the counties to purchase voluntary deed restrictions from eligible homeowners or homebuyers. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 17, 2025
Last action Dec 8, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons
What changed between versions
HB739_HD1
→
HB739_HD2
·
5 edits
MODERATE
This bill revision strengthens the Kamaaina Homes Program by clarifying its purpose to preserve local culture and reduce emissions, tightening eligibility rules for essential workers, and adding new enforcement mechanisms. It also updates technical language regarding deed restrictions and bond provisions to ensure the program functions effectively.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded to explicitly include environmental benefits and cultural preservation as core goals, while eligibility criteria were narrowed to prioritize current residents or those with specific local ties over general retirees.
SCOPE
Added language emphasizing workforce housing, environmental benefits, and cultural preservation to clarify the program's public purpose.
ELIGIBILITY
Restructured eligibility to prioritize current owner-occupants or tenants working at qualified businesses, replacing broad categories like 'retired' with specific conditions like involuntary unemployment or disability.
ENFORCEMENT
Introduced new remedies allowing the corporation to sue homeowners for violations and claim 50% of the property's appreciation upon sale to non-compliant owners.
DEFINITION
Refined the definition of 'qualified business' to remove 'foundation' from the list of eligible entities and clarified profit operation requirements.
TECHNICAL
Corrected grammatical errors in bond provisions and updated references to ensure consistency with county-owned deed restrictions.
Floor votes
How they voted
This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
21
Key actions
6
Committee
8
Mar 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
The committee(s) on HOU has scheduled a public hearing on 03-11-25 1:10PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
upper
Mar 6, 2025
Committee
Referred to HOU, WAM.
upper
Mar 6, 2025
Introduced
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 276).
upper
Mar 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) 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
Lower · Passed
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Muraoka, Pierick voting no (3) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).
lower
Feb 14, 2025
Committee
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 693) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.
lower
Feb 11, 2025
Lower · Passed
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Garcia; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Hashem.
lower
Feb 3, 2025
Committee
Reported from HSG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 54) 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: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Evslin, Miyake, Grandinetti, Kila, Kitagawa, La Chica, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Muraoka; 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
2 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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