Conference committee approves school impact fee bill with key amendments

The government meeting held in Room 224 on April 25, 2025, focused on several key legislative bills, with significant discussions surrounding school impact fees and transportation measures.

The meeting began with a consensus on a bill concerning school impact fees, identified as HP 4 2 HD 1 SD 2. The bill aims to repeal the construction cost component of school impact fees, exempting government housing developments, affordable housing units, and Hawaiian homeland housing from these fees. The School Facilities Authority (SFA) will be tasked with adopting rules for fee collection and will report to the legislature on the program's effectiveness. The proposed changes include technical amendments for clarity, particularly regarding projects with fewer than 100 units. The bill is set to take effect upon approval and will sunset in five years.

The chair and co-chairs expressed gratitude for the collaboration on this bill, which received the necessary financial releases from the Finance and Ways and Means committees. The vote on the bill passed unanimously among the members present.

Following the discussion on school impact fees, the meeting moved to Senate Bill 662, which relates to transportation. The conferees for this bill included both Senate and House representatives, with an agreement on a proposed CD 1. However, the committee is still awaiting the release from the Ways and Means committee before proceeding further.

Overall, the meeting highlighted the collaborative efforts among legislators to address critical issues in education and transportation, with a focus on ensuring effective governance and financial oversight. The next steps will depend on the pending releases and further discussions in upcoming sessions.