Hawaii House Bill HR56

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/5/25
• Refer: 3/14/25
• Report Pass: 4/3/25
• Passed: 4/3/25

Caption

Requesting The Office Of Planning And Sustainable Development, In Coordination With Appropriate State And County Departments Or Agencies, To Develop Methods To Estimate Costs Associated With Delays In Certain Public And Private Development Projects.

Impact

The outcome of this resolution could significantly alter the landscape of project approval and funding in Hawaii. By ensuring that relevant authorities are aware of the potential financial ramifications of delays, HR56 encourages a more proactive approach to project management. Decision-makers would likely have a better grasp of how delays can affect budgets, thereby leading to more prudent fiscal policies regarding public funds, which could ultimately benefit taxpayers.

Summary

House Resolution 56 (HR56) requests the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development in Hawaii to develop methods for estimating the costs associated with delays in both public and private development projects. The resolution acknowledges that delays not only inflate the costs of projects due to elements such as labor and materials but can also compromise the original cost-benefit analyses that determine project viability. This initiative seeks to equip decision-making authorities with better information to make informed assessments concerning the economics of such developments.

Contention

While the intention behind HR56 is to streamline project analyses and help mitigate cost overruns, it may elicit debates regarding the adequacy of transparency and responsiveness in project approvals. Critics may argue that the additional requirement of estimating costs could slow down the development process, thereby frustrating both public and private stakeholders. Furthermore, there might be concerns regarding how these cost estimates are calculated and the potential for bureaucratic delays in themselves, conflicting with the very objectives of efficiency and sustainability that the resolution aims to promote.