Committee defers Bill 116 over technical edits; administration says kupuna move‑ins are not blocked

The Budget, Finance & Economic Development Committee deferred Bill 116, which would amend Chapter 3.36 (Maui County Grants) and Chapter 3.4 (concessions awards and rental or lease of county property), citing technical problems and a set of signature/contact updates needed in the draft.

Council legislative staff and corporation counsel said the substantive text of the bill appears legally adequate but that the copy before the committee contains outdated signature blocks and edits passed elsewhere after the bill was originally filed. First deputy corporation counsel Mimi Desjardins told members that corrected signature pages can be provided after the committee acts so long as the “meat of the agreement” does not change.

Members raised an immediate concern for a specific kupuna housing matter: whether the bill or related amendments would delay an imminent move‑in to Mauna Lani Terrace (unit F102). Jolie Jenkins, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program manager, testified that the bill does not prevent tenants from moving into that unit and that the program expects the final tenant to move in on or about Aug. 1. Jenkins said only one unit remains without a tenant and that staff intend to request council approval for that last move‑in if necessary. "This bill wouldn't affect the Mauna Lani Terrace F102," Jenkins said.

Committee members asked OCS and corporation counsel whether a cleaned, substituted version could be prepared before first reading; staff said that could be done. The committee deferred the item to allow corporation counsel and Office of Council Services to prepare corrected pages and to ensure the draft reflects amendments passed after the bill was first filed.

Next steps: OCS and Corporation Counsel to provide a revised draft with corrected signature/contact pages and to work with administration to resolve outstanding technical questions before returning the item to committee.