HCR 82 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

REQUESTING THE STATE BUILDING CODE COUNCIL TO DEVELOP AND ADOPT BASIC SHELTER STANDARDS TO ENABLE LOW-COST, RAPID-DEPLOYMENT HOUSING SOLUTIONS.

This bill requests the State Building Code Council to create a new set of basic shelter standards that would allow for low-cost, quickly built housing solutions during emergencies. The proposed standards would permit simpler structures like prefabricated units and temporary shelters that currently don't meet full building code requirements, but would still ensure safety and sanitation. These housing units would only be allowed during declared emergencies and would be limited to government or nonprofit use to prevent commercial exploitation. The bill also establishes a pathway for these temporary units to be upgraded to permanent housing if they later meet full building code standards.

Issues: ✓ Housing

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 12, 2026 Last action Apr 16, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HCR82_HD1 → HCR82_HD2 · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was revised to clarify that emergency housing units built under basic shelter standards are only intended for temporary use during a declared emergency. It also added a new provision requiring these units to be upgraded to full building code standards if they become permanent homes, ensuring long-term safety and compliance.

Scope change

The scope of applicability was clarified to limit the duration of occupancy to the specific period of a declared emergency, rather than an undefined state of emergency.

REQUIREMENT

Clarified that occupancy of emergency housing is limited strictly to the duration of a declared state of emergency, local state of emergency, or shelter crisis.

Added a requirement that units initially built as emergency shelters must be upgraded to comply with the Hawaii State Building Code or HUD standards if they are converted into permanent residences.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 16, 2026

Committee

Re-Referred to HOU.

upper

Apr 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to PSM/HOU.

upper

Apr 10, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 549).

upper

Apr 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

Adopted as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1).

lower

Apr 9, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1862-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending adoption.

lower

Apr 7, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Morikawa, Belatti, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Poepoe, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Woodson.

lower

Apr 1, 2026

Lower · Passed

Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on WAL as amended in HD 1 with Representative(s) Cochran voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).

lower

Apr 1, 2026

Committee

Reported from HSG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1649-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending referral to WAL.

lower

Mar 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on HSG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Evslin, Miyake, Grandinetti, Kila, Kitagawa; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Cochran; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) La Chica, Muraoka, Pierick.

lower

Mar 18, 2026

Committee

Referred to HSG, WAL, referral sheet 18

lower

Mar 16, 2026

Introduced

Offered

lower

Mar 12, 2026

Introduced

To be offered.

lower

5 primary · 0 co-sponsors