Bill Text: HI SB90 | 2013 | Regular Session | Amended

Hawaii Senate Bill 90 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Public Housing; Administration of Federal Housing Programs

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-02-01 - Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDL. [SB90 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-SB90-Amended.html

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 9

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 90

S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 90 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to adopt policies, regulations, standards, procedures, and rental agreements for its federal programs in the manner prescribed by the federal government; provided that federal laws, rules, and regulation prevails in the case of conflicts between state and federal laws, rules, and regulations.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Public Housing Authority. Testimony in opposition to this measure was received by the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that under current Hawaii laws, the Hawaii Public Housing Authority can adopt administrative rules governing its federal programs in accordance with chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes. The Hawaii Public Housing Authority's federal programs are additionally subject to extensive regulation by federal laws, rules, regulations, contracts, notices, memoranda, and other instruments issued by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. These federal regulations are applicable to all public housing agencies nationwide and can require amendments to, adoption of, and repeal of any administrative policies and procedures of a public housing agency.

Your Committee also finds that federal requirements for public housing agencies more than adequately protect the interests of the public and ensure accountability and resident and public involvement in the adoption, amendment, or modification of program rules and regulations. The imposition of additional state requirements may unnecessarily delay and burden the administration of the Authority's programs.

Your Committee has heard the testimony expressing concerns about medicinal marijuana because of the differences between federal and state laws. The Hawaii Public Housing Authority already has administrative rules that allow for reasonable accommodations for residents; however, your Committee finds that this issue raises concerns that merit further consideration by your Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) 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 Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 90, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 90, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair