RELATING TO TENANT SELECTION.

Housing

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: NAKAMURA (Introduced by request of another party)
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not provide details about the impact of removing these preferences or how many people will be affected.

Removing Preferences for Disabled Veterans and Spouses

This bill removes special housing preferences for disabled veterans and the spouses of deceased veterans in Hawaii's low-income public housing program.

What This Bill Does

Repeals tenant selection preferences for disabled veterans who have a disability rated at ten percent or more by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Eliminates first preference given to the spouses of deceased veterans in the State Low-Income Housing Program.

Who It Names or Affects

Disabled veterans and their families who were previously eligible for special preferences in public housing.
The Hawaii Public Housing Authority, which will no longer consider these veteran-related preferences when selecting tenants.

Terms To Know

Tenant selection preferences: Special rules that give certain groups of people an advantage when choosing homes through a public housing program.
Permanent disability: A long-term health condition or injury that significantly affects daily life and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what will happen to veterans who lose their housing preferences.
It's unclear how many people are currently benefiting from these veteran-related preferences in Hawaii.
This law is set to take effect on July 1, 3000, which seems like a placeholder date and may change.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment removes special housing preferences for disabled veterans and the spouses of deceased veterans in Hawaii's low-income public housing program.

Removes tenant selection preferences for disabled veterans and their spouses from state law.

The future effective date (July 1, 3000) is likely a placeholder or error and needs clarification.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-03-11 S
The committee on PSM deferred the measure.
2025-03-11 S
The committee on HOU deferred the measure.
2025-03-07 S
The committee(s) on HOU/PSM has scheduled a public hearing on 03-11-25 1:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2025-03-06 S
Referred to HOU/PSM, JDC.
2025-03-06 S
Passed First Reading.
2025-03-06 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 328).
2025-03-04 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Pierick, Ward excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.
2025-02-28 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1063), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2025-02-26 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Garcia, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Kahaloa.
2025-02-21 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Wednesday, 02-26-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-13 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Kitagawa, Ward excused (3).
2025-02-13 H
Reported from PBS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 547), recommending referral to JHA.
2025-02-12 H
The committee on PBS recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Belatti, Iwamoto, Hashem, Lamosao, Morikawa, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Ichiyama, Poepoe, Woodson.
2025-02-07 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by PBS on Wednesday, 02-12-25 10:30AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-06 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on PBS with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Ward excused (1).
2025-02-06 H
Reported from HSG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 208) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to PBS.
2025-02-05 H
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, Muraoka; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, La Chica, Pierick.
2025-01-31 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HSG on Wednesday, 02-05-25 9:00AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-23 H
Referred to HSG, PBS, JHA, referral sheet 3
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-21 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO TENANT SELECTION.
Hawaii Public Housing Authority; State Low-Income Housing; Tenant Selection; Preferences
Repeals the tenant selection preferences for disabled veterans and the spouses of deceased veterans in the State Low-Income Housing Program. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1096

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1096

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO TENANT SELECTION
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION 1.
�
The legislature finds that the United States
Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing
program combines the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance for homeless veterans administered by
public housing authorities with case management and clinical services provided
through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

����
The
purpose of this bill is t
o repeal the
tenant selection preferences for disabled veterans and the spouses of deceased
veterans in the State low-income public housing program to make State law
consistent with federal public housing requirements.

����
SECTION
2.
�
Section 356D-42, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

����
"
(a)
�
The authority shall select tenants upon the
basis of those in greatest need for the particular housing, subject to the
following limitations and preferences:

����
(1)
�
The authority may limit the tenants of
any state low-income housing project to classes of persons when required by
federal law or regulation as a term or condition of obtaining assistance from
the federal government;

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[
(2)
�
Within the priorities established by
the authority recognizing need, veterans with a permanent disability of ten per
cent or more, as certified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs,
and their dependent parents, if any.
�
The
deceased veteran
ꞌ
s spouse shall be
given first preference.
�
Parents of
veterans shall not use the veteran status of their adult child as a basis for
preference;
] and

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[
(3)
]

(2)
�
Subject to any limitations set by federal law
or regulation, the authority shall not select as a tenant, and may terminate
the tenancy of, any person if the person or any household member owns or
acquires a home within the State.
"

����
SECTION
3.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION
4.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its
approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

BY REQUEST

Report Title:

Hawaii
Public Housing Authority; State Low-Income Housing; Tenant Selection;
Preferences

Description:

Repeals
the tenant selection preferences for disabled veterans and the spouses of
deceased veterans in the State Low-Income Housing Program.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.