Grassroot back in action testifying on bills

from Grassroot Institute, January 17, 2025

The new year is underway, and so are the 2025 state legislative session, all the county councils and the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii. Below are the testimonies Grassroot has submitted in recent weeks for consideration by the Kaua‘i, Maui and Hawai‘i county councils.

Kaua‘i County

>> Bill 2940 — “Add cap to amount home exemption loss would cost property owners“

Maui County

>> Bill 180 — "Legalize private water catchment and exempt from needing a permit"

>> Bill 146 — “Maui’s water-fixture policy in dire need of update”

Hawai‘i County

>> Bill 12 — "Allow healthcare facilities in industrial-commercial districts"

>> Bill 22 — "Expand electrical code exemptions to speed up permitting process"

Quick hits:

>> Honolulu Civil Beat reporter Jeremy Hay quoted Grassroot's Joe Kent in his Jan. 6 article headlined "Is Hawaiʻi’s Historic Investment In Affordable Housing Paying Off?” Kent told Hay that “it’s much easier to spend money than it is to deal with regulations, and that’s what’s going on here.” Kent said the state's affordable housing program is "a consequence of the government over-regulating the housing industry, and that’s a price they’re willing to pay, apparently." But, he added, “at least it’s creating housing.” Hay reported that Grassroot's recommendations to increase housing supply include cutting back the authority of the state’s Land Use Commission, eliminating school impact fees and narrowing the definition of historic property.