HB1975 • 2026

RELATING TO KUPUNA HOUSING.

Budget Housing

Active

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

Sponsor: CHUN, AMATO, BELATTI, EVSLIN, GARRETT, GRANDINETTI, HARTSFIELD, HASHEM, ICHIYAMA, ILAGAN, IWAMOTO, KAHALOA, KAPELA, KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY, KILA, LA CHICA, LEE, M., LOWEN, MARTEN, MATAYOSHI, MIYAKE, MORIKAWA, OLDS, PERRUSO, POEPOE, REYES ODA, SHIMIZU, SOUZA, TAKAYAMA, TAKENOUCHI, TEMPLO, YAMASHITA
Last action: 2026-03-30
Official status: Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide details about funding for the two full-time equivalent positions beyond stating their creation. The candidate explanation included a specific amount which is not supported by the official source material.

Kupuna Housing Support Act

This bill makes permanent a rent supplement program that helps elderly residents in Hawaii avoid eviction, funds the program, and creates two new positions to support it.

What This Bill Does

Makes the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna permanent.
Provides $2,160,000 in funding for the program in fiscal year 2026-2027.
Creates two full-time equivalent positions within the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to support the program.

Who It Names or Affects

Elderly residents in Hawaii who are at risk of eviction or homelessness.
The Hawaii Public Housing Authority and its staff.

Terms To Know

Kupuna: An elderly person, especially one respected for their wisdom and experience.
Rent Supplement Program: A program that provides financial assistance to help pay rent for eligible individuals or families.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how the funds will be allocated beyond fiscal year 2026-2027.
It is unclear if there are any limits on who can receive support from the program after it becomes permanent.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment makes permanent the state rent supplement program for kupuna (elderly residents) by removing its expiration date and providing funding to support it.

Removes the sunset clause that would have ended the program on June 30, 2028, making it permanent.
Appropriates funds for two full-time positions within the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to support the kupuna housing program.

The exact amount of funding appropriated is not specified in the amendment text provided.

SD1

Hawaii published version SD1

Plain English: This amendment makes permanent the state rent supplement program for kupuna (elderly residents) and provides funding and positions to support it.

Makes the state rent supplement program for kupuna permanent, removing its previous expiration date of June 30, 2028.
Appropriates funds from general revenues to establish two full-time equivalent public housing specialist II positions within the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to support the program.
Provides additional funding for the state rent supplement program for kupuna in fiscal year 2026-2027.

The exact amount of funds appropriated is not specified, only that 'so much thereof as may be necessary' will be used.
The amendment text does not provide details on how the funding and positions will specifically support the program.

Bill History

2026-03-30 S
Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.
2026-03-30 S
Reported from HOU/HHS (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3281) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.
2026-03-19 S
The committee(s) on HHS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HHS were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) San Buenaventura, McKelvey, Kanuha; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Keohokalole, Fevella.
2026-03-19 S
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.
2026-03-16 S
The committee(s) on HOU/HHS has scheduled a public hearing on 03-19-26 1:06PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.
2026-03-10 S
Referred to HOU/HHS, WAM.
2026-03-06 S
Passed First Reading.
2026-03-06 S
Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 71).
2026-03-05 H
Passed Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Perruso excused (1). Transmitted to Senate.
2026-03-05 H
Reported from FIN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 820-26), recommending passage on Third Reading.
2026-02-26 H
The committee on FIN recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 16 Ayes: Representative(s) Todd, Takenouchi, Hartsfield, Hussey, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Kitagawa, Kusch, Lee, M., Miyake, Morikawa, Perruso, Templo, Yamashita, Alcos, Gedeon, Reyes Oda; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-24 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Thursday, 02-26-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-18 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on FIN with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-02-18 H
Reported from HSH (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 373-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to FIN.
2026-02-05 H
The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Hartsfield, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takayama, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-02 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HSH on Thursday, 02-05-26 9:30AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-28 H
Referred to HSH, FIN, referral sheet 3
2026-01-26 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-23 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO KUPUNA HOUSING.
HPHA; State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna; Positions; Appropriations ($)
Repeals the sunset for the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna. Appropriates funds to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority for the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna and for two positions to support the program. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1975

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1975

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to kupuna housing
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that the state
rent supplement program for kupuna administered by the Hawaii public housing
authority has helped prevent some of the State's vulnerable elderly residents
from facing eviction and becoming homeless.
�

In total, the program has provided about three hundred at-risk kupuna
with monthly rental assistance of less than $500 per month.
�
In 2024, the legislature funded the program
with $1,000,000 and in 2025, the legislature extended the program's sunset date
from 2026 to 2028.
�
The legislature
believes that the program should now be made permanent.

����
The
legislature further finds that the initial appropriation has been nearly
exhausted and that supplemental funding is necessary to sustain the program.

����
Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to:

����
(1)
�
Make the state rent supplement program for
kupuna permanent; and

����
(2)
�
Appropriate funds for the program and for
positions to support the program.

����
SECTION
2.
�
Act 98, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023,
as amended by Act 282, Session Laws of Hawaii 2025, is amended by amending
section 6 to read as follows:

����
"SECTION
6.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1,
2023[
, and shall be repealed on June 30, 2028
]."

����
SECTION
3.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $110,160 or so much thereof
as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the establishment of two
full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) permanent public housing specialist II positions
within the Hawaii public housing authority to support the state rent supplement
program for kupuna.

����
The sum
appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaii public housing authority for the
purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION
4.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $2,160,000 or so much
thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the state rent
supplement program for kupuna; provided that the funds appropriated under this
section shall be in addition to the base budget of the Hawaii public housing
authority for the state rent supplement program.

����
The sum
appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaii public housing authority for the
purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION
5.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.

����
SECTION
6.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1,
2026.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

HPHA;
State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna; Appropriation

Description:

Repeals
the sunset for the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna.
�
Appropriates funds to the Hawaii Public
Housing Authority for the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna and for
positions to support the program.

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