STAND. COM. REP. NO.
Honolulu, Hawaii
MAR 3 1 2025
RE: S.C.R. No. 124
S. D. 1
Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi
President of the Senate
Thirty-Third State Legislature
Regular Session of 2025
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs, to
which was referred S.C.R. No. 124 entitled:
"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE TASK FORCE FOR
SPEED (SIMPLIFYING PERMITTING FOR ENHANCED ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT) TO IDENTIFY ACTIONS NEEDED TO EXPEDITE,
FACILITATE, AND COORDINATE STATE AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL PERMIT
PROCESSES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose and intent of this measure is to:
(1) Request the establishment of the Task Force for
Simplifying Permitting for Enhanced Economic Development
(SPEED) to identify actions needed to expedite,
facilitate, and coordinate state and intergovernmental
permit processes; and
(2) Request the Task Force for SPEED to submit a report of
its findings and recommendations, including any proposed
legislation, to the Legislature prior to the Regular
Session of 2026.
Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure
from the Public Utilities Commission, Land Use Commission, and
Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.
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 STAND. COM. REP. NO.
Page 2
Your Committee received comments on this measure from the
Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.
Your Committee finds that the permitting process is often
time-consuming due to the understaffing of resource-constrained
agencies, complexity and multiplicity of requirements, sequential
and contingent nature of reviews, and potential for legal
challenges, among other factors. According to the testimony
received by your Committee, the entitlement and permitting process
can take over five years, creating significant delays and
uncertainty for housing projects, increasing carrying costs and
capital market risks, and deterring investment in affordable
housing. Your Committee notes that a more accessible permitting
process would particularly benefit small businesses and
entrepreneurs as they navigate regulatory requirements. By
identifying inefficiencies and developing strategies for
simplification, the task force established in this measure can
help enhance government efficiency, support economic growth, and
improve transparency in the State.
Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical,
nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and
consistency.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs that is attached
to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose
of S.C.R. No. 124, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption
in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 124, S.D. 1.
Respectfully submitted on
behalf of the members of the
Committee on Energy and
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 The Senate
Thirty-Third Legislature
State of Hawaii
Record of Votes
Committee on Energy and Intergovernmental Affairs
EIG
Bill / Resolution No.:* Committee Referral: Date:
Flo 3/zoZzs
__ The Committee is reconsidering its previous decision on this measure.
If so, then the previous decision was to:________________________________________________
The Recommendation is:
__ Pass, unamended |_^ Pass, with amendments __ Hold __ Recommit
2312 2311 2310 2313
Members Aye Aye (WR) Nay Excused
WAKAI, Glenn (C)
CHANG. Stanley (VC)
DECOITE. Lynn
RICHARDS. III. Herbert M. “Tim”
FEVELLA. Kurt v/
TOTAL
Recommendation: _ .
Adopted __ Not Adopted
Chair’s or Designee’s Signature:
Distribution: Original Yellow Pink Goldenrod
File with Committee Report Clerk's Office Drafting Agency Committee File Copy
*Only one measure per Record of Votes
Revised: 12/09/24