RELATING TO PERMITS.

Children Education

Active

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

Sponsor: LA CHICA, EVSLIN, GARCIA, IWAMOTO, KITAGAWA, MARTEN, MATAYOSHI, SOUZA, TODD, Takayama
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's effective date is July 1, 2025, not the year 3000 as mentioned in the candidate explanation.

Exemptions from County Permits for State Projects

This bill creates an exemption from county permit requirements for repetitive construction projects by state departments and agencies, with specific conditions.

What This Bill Does

Establishes an exemption from applicable county permit requirements for repetitive construction projects for facilities under the control of any state department or agency, under certain conditions.
Clarifies that contracts for the construction, renovation, or repair of facilities under the control of the Department of Education, University of Hawaii, or School Facilities Authority shall be exempt from county permitting requirements related to off-site improvements as a condition to the issuance of permits.

Who It Names or Affects

State departments and agencies conducting repetitive construction projects
Counties issuing permits for construction projects

Terms To Know

Repetitive Construction Projects: Projects that involve the replacement or repair of existing facilities, such as one-for-one replacements and minor repairs.
Off-site Improvements: Improvements to areas outside the construction site required by counties before issuing permits.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify which state departments or agencies will be exempt from county permit requirements.
Projects in special flood hazard areas are excluded from the exemption and must comply with federal, state, and county floodplain management standards.

Amendments

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

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment exempts repetitive construction projects by state departments and agencies from county permit requirements, with some exceptions.

State facilities under the control of any state department or agency will be exempt from county permits for repetitive construction projects.
Contracts for school facility repairs, renovations, or constructions are exempt from off-site improvement conditions set by counties, except in special flood hazard areas.

The amendment specifies an effective date of July 1, 3000, which seems to be a placeholder and not the actual intended start date.
Details about what constitutes 'repetitive construction projects' are provided but may require further clarification for understanding.

HD2

Hawaii published version HD2

Plain English: This amendment exempts repetitive construction projects by state departments and agencies from county permit requirements, with some exceptions.

State facilities under the control of any state department or agency will be exempt from county permits for repetitive construction projects.
Contracts for construction, renovation, or repair of school facilities controlled by the Department of Education, University of Hawaii, or School Facilities Authority are exempt from off-site improvement requirements set by counties, except in special flood hazard areas.

The amendment's effective date is July 1, 3000, which seems to be a placeholder and not an actual future implementation date.
Details about the specific types of repetitive construction projects are provided but may require further clarification for understanding by non-experts.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-11 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 Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2).
2025-02-11 H
Reported from CPC (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 427) as amended in HD 2, recommending referral to FIN.
2025-02-06 H
The committee on CPC recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Matayoshi, Chun, Ilagan, Ichiyama, Kong, Lowen, Marten, Tam, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Iwamoto; Noes: none; and Excused: none.
2025-02-04 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by CPC on Thursday, 02-06-25 2:00PM in House conference room 329 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-30 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on CPC with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2).
2025-01-30 H
Reported from WAL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 21) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to CPC.
2025-01-28 H
The committee on WAL recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Hashem, Lamosao, Ichiyama, Iwamoto, Morikawa, Poepoe, Shimizu, Souza; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Belatti; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Woodson.
2025-01-24 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by WAL on Tuesday, 01-28-25 9:00AM in House conference room 411 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to WAL, CPC, FIN, referral sheet 1
2025-01-17 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-16 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO PERMITS.
County Permit Exemptions; Repetitive Construction Projects; State Departments; Off-site Improvements
Establishes an exemption from applicable county permit requirements for repetitive construction projects for facilities under the control of any state department or agency, under certain conditions. Clarifies that, except for projects in special flood hazard areas, contracts for the construction, renovation, or repair of facilities under the control of the Department of Education, University of Hawaii, or School Facilities Authority shall be exempt from county permitting requirements that related off-site improvements be made by the contracting government agency as a condition to the issuance of any permit. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB331

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

331

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to permits
.

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

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that although
most counties already exempt state agencies from certain permitting
requirements, it is essential to ensure that all facilities under the
jurisdiction of the department of education, university of Hawaii, and school
facilities authority are also granted this exemption.
�
Eliminating the permitting process for
repetitive construction projects for state departments and agencies will also
accelerate the timeline for essential repairs and improvements, addressing
critical infrastructure needs more efficiently across the State.

����
The
purpose of this Act is to:

����
(1)
�
Establish an exemption from applicable county
permit requirements for repetitive construction projects for facilities under
the control of any state department or agency; and

����
(2)
�
Clarify that contracts for the construction,
renovation, or repair of facilities under the control of the department of
education, university of Hawaii, or school facilities authority shall be exempt
from county permitting requirements that related off-site improvements be made
by the contracting government agency as a condition to the issuance of any
permit.

����
SECTION
2.
�
Chapter 46, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read
as follows:

����
"
�46-
�
County permit exemption; repetitive construction projects.
�
A
contract for repetitive construction projects, including but not limited to one-for-one
replacements and minor repair and maintenance, of facilities under the control
of any state department or agency shall be exempt from any applicable county
permit requirement due to any county agency having jurisdiction over the
proposed action; provided that no contract for repetitive construction projects
shall be exempt from federal, state, or county floodplain management
development standards or statutes, codes, ordinances, rules, or regulations
with which compliance is required under the National Flood Insurance Program.
"

����
SECTION
3
.
�
Section 103-39.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

����
"
�103-39.5
�

Construction, renovation, or repair of school facilities; county permit
exemption.
�
Any contract for the
construction, renovation, or repair of [
public school
] facilities
under
the control of the department of education, university of Hawaii, or school
facilities authority
shall be exempt from any
county
requirement [
of
a county
] that related off-site improvements be made by the contracting
government agency as a condition to the issuance of any permit."

����
SECTION 4.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 5.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

County
Permit Exemptions; Repetitive Construction Projects; State Departments;
Off-site Improvements

Description:

Establishes
an exemption from applicable county permit requirements for repetitive
construction projects for facilities under the control of any state department
or agency, under certain conditions.
�
Clarifies
that contracts for the construction, renovation, or repair of facilities under
the control of the department of education, university of Hawaii, or school
facilities authority shall be exempt from county permitting requirements
that
related off-site improvements be made by the contracting government agency as a
condition to the issuance of any permit
.

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