HB2560 • 2026

RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS.

Education

Active

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

Sponsor: OLDS, AMATO, BELATTI, COCHRAN, EVSLIN, GRANDINETTI, HOLT, ILAGAN, IWAMOTO, KAHALOA, KAPELA, KILA, KUSCH, LOWEN, MARTEN, MORIKAWA, PERRUSO, POEPOE, REYES ODA, SHIMIZU, SOUZA, TAKAYAMA, TAM, TEMPLO
Last action: 2026-03-03
Official status: The committee(s) on FIN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS.

What This Bill Does

RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS.
DHS; DOE; Homelessness; Pilot Program; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; Financial Stabilization Assistance Establishes a two-year-pilot program within the Department of Human Services to provide temporary financial stabilization assistance to families with students identified as experiencing homelessness.
Funds the program through the Department of Human Services using allowable Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds.
Requires Department of Education Complex Area Community Homeless Concerns Liaison to make approved purchases.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: HB2560 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB2560 HD1 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
2560 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
1 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS .

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: HB2560 HD2 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.

HB2560 HD2 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES H.B.
NO.
2560 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 H.D.
2 STATE OF HAWAII A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS .

Bill History

2026-03-03 H
The committee(s) on FIN recommend(s) that the measure be deferred.
2026-02-27 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by FIN on Tuesday, 03-03-26 2:00PM in House conference room 308 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-19 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-02-19 H
Reported from HSH (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 522-26) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.
2026-02-17 H
The committee on HSH recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Marten, Olds, Amato, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Takayama, Takenouchi, Alcos, Garcia; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Hartsfield.
2026-02-12 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HSH on Tuesday, 02-17-26 9:30AM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-10 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on HSH with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).
2026-02-09 H
Reported from EDN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 69-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to HSH.
2026-02-05 H
The committee on EDN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Woodson, La Chica, Amato, Evslin, Garrett, Kapela, Kila, Olds, Muraoka, Souza; Ayes with reservations: none; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2026-02-03 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by EDN on Thursday, 02-05-26 2:00PM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-02 H
Referred to EDN, HSH, FIN, referral sheet 6
2026-01-28 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS.
DHS; DOE; Homelessness; Pilot Program; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; Financial Stabilization Assistance
Establishes a two-year-pilot program within the Department of Human Services to provide temporary financial stabilization assistance to families with students identified as experiencing homelessness. Funds the program through the Department of Human Services using allowable Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds. Requires Department of Education Complex Area Community Homeless Concerns Liaison to make approved purchases. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2560

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2560

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to homelessness
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that families
with children experiencing homelessness often face immediate and urgent
financial needs that threaten housing stability and school attendance.
�
Students identified as experiencing
homelessness require timely, flexible assistance to address basic necessities
that directly affect their ability to remain engaged in school.

����
The
legislature further finds that the department of education's education for
homeless children and youth program provides critical support to students
identified as experiencing homelessness and that additional, flexible financial
resources administered at the complex area level would enhance the department's
ability to stabilize families during periods of crisis.

����
The
purpose of this Act is to establish a two-year pilot program allowing the use
of allowable temporary assistance for needy families funds to provide
short-term, flexible assistance to eligible families of students experiencing
homelessness, while maintaining fiscal accountability and compliance with
federal and state requirements.

����
SECTION 2.
(a)
�
There is established a two-year
pilot program within the department of education, to be headed by the state
coordinator for education for homeless children and youth, to provide temporary
financial stabilization assistance to families with enrolled students
identified as experiencing homelessness.

����
(b)
�
The pilot program shall be funded through the
department of human services using allowable temporary assistance for needy
families funds, subject to federal and state requirements.
�
Funds shall be allocated to the state
coordinator for equitable distribution to complex area community homeless concerns
liaisons.

����
(c)
�
Prior to the use of funds for any family, the
appropriate complex area community homeless concerns liaison shall conduct a
department of human services temporary assistance for needy families
eligibility screening survey with the family.

����
(d)
�
Assistance under the pilot program shall only
be provided to families with one or more enrolled students who are:

����
(1)
�
Identified as experiencing homelessness under
the department of education's form MV-1; and

����
(2)
�
Determined to be eligible for temporary
assistance for needy families assistance based on the completed eligibility
screening.

����
(e)
�
Completed eligibility screening documentation
shall be maintained in the student's confidential records held and managed by
the appropriate complex area community homeless concerns liaison.

����
(f)
�
Funds distributed under the pilot program
shall be used in a flexible spending model to address immediate needs necessary
to stabilize the family, including but not limited to:

����
(1)
�
Food;

����
(2)
�
Clothing;

����
(3)
�
Transportation support, including gasoline or
public transportation passes; and

����
(4)
�
Other short-term necessities that directly
support student attendance and stability.

����
(g)
�
All purchases for families and students using
pilot program funds shall be made directly by the appropriate complex area community
homeless concerns liaison; provided that:

����
(1)
�
Individual purchases shall not exceed $200 per
transaction;

����
(2)
�
The total assistance provided shall not exceed
$500 per eligible student per school year; and

����
(3)
�
Spending limits shall apply regardless of the
number of transactions conducted.

����
(h)
�
No direct monetary disbursements, cash
assistance, or gift cards shall be provided to families or students under the
pilot program.

����
(i)
�
If a family has students enrolled in schools
located in different complex areas:

����
(1)
�
Any respective complex area community homeless
concerns liaison may make allowable purchases on behalf of the family; and

����
(2)
�
The community homeless concerns liaison making
the purchase shall provide a copy of the purchase receipt and related
documentation to all other involved liaisons for record-keeping purposes.

����
(j)
�
The department of education shall maintain
records of expenditures, eligibility determinations, and assistance provided
pursuant to this Act.

����
(k)
�
The department of education shall provide
periodic reports to the department of human services detailing:

����
(1)
�
The number of students and families served;

����
(2)
�
The types of assistance provided;

����
(3)
�
Total expenditures; and

����
(4)
�
Any additional information required to ensure temporary
assistance for needy families compliance.

����
(l)
�
The pilot program shall cease to exist on
June 30, 2028, unless extended by the legislature.

����
SECTION 2.
�
The department of education, in consultation
with the department of human services, may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, as necessary to implement this Act.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

DOE; DHS;
Homelessness; Pilot Program; Education for Homeless Children and Youth; Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families; Financial Stabilization Assistance

Description:

Establishes
a two-year-pilot program within the Department of Education, to be headed by
the State Coordinator for Education for Homeless Children and Youth, to provide
temporary financial stabilization assistance to families with students
identified as experiencing homelessness.
�
Funds the program through the Department of
Human Services using allowable Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds.

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