HI SB2066

Establishes a cooperative working group to streamline county permitting processes for state building projects, which currently average approximately 600 days for approval in Honolulu—six times longer than private sector applications.

Working group membership includes one state senator and one house representative as co-chairs, plus representatives from nine state agencies and all four county planning departments.

State building permit delays during 2022-2023 increased project costs by more than $30 million due to inflation, with over 90% of applications to Honolulu's permitting department taking longer than 180 days.

Appropriates unspecified amounts from general revenues to each of Hawaii's four counties to address staffing shortages in planning and permitting departments, restricted to personnel working on state projects.

Working group must submit findings and recommendations to the legislature by early 2027 and ceases to exist on June 30, 2027; effective date is April 19, 2042.