REPORT TITLE:
Permit Process


DESCRIPTION:
Changes the name of the "consolidated application process" to the
"facilitated application process".  Expands the membership of the
permit process task force.  Limits the task force's focus to
county building permit applications.  Establishes a sunset date
for the task force of 6/30/2002.  (HB1029, HD2)

 
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                                                        1029
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________


                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO PERMIT PROCESSING.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature recognizes that currently, the
 
 2 consolidated application process is often mistaken as a single
 
 3 permit application for all required state permits.  Changing the
 
 4 name of the "consolidated application process" to "facilitated
 
 5 application process" will more accurately describe what the
 
 6 process does, namely, assists applicants in obtaining state and
 
 7 county permits, facilitates the application for and tracking of
 
 8 such permits, and makes complicated permit application and
 
 9 approval process more efficient and predictable.
 
10      The purpose of this Act is to make improvements to the
 
11 consolidated application process by:
 
12      (1)  Changing its name to "facilitated application process";
 
13      (2)  Expanding the membership of the permit process task
 
14           force;
 
15      (3)  Limiting the permit process task force's purpose of
 
16           facilitating the state permit approval process to
 
17           county building permit applications requiring state
 
18           agency approval; and
 
19      (4)  Providing a sunset date of the permit process task
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           force.
 
 2      SECTION 2.  Section 201-62, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 3 amended by amending the title and subsections (a) to (d) to read
 
 4 as follows:
 
 5      "§201-62  [Consolidated] Facilitated application process.
 
 6 (a)  State agencies are required, and county agencies are
 
 7 authorized and encouraged, to participate in the [consolidated]
 
 8 facilitated application process set forth herein.
 
 9      (b)  The department shall serve as [a] the lead agency for
 
10 the [consolidated] facilitated application procedure and shall be
 
11 the lead agency to administer [and facilitate] the [consolidated]
 
12 facilitated application procedure for any project that requires
 
13 both county permit applications and state agency approval.
 
14      (c)  The procedure shall be as follows:
 
15      (1)  An applicant for two or more state permits may apply in
 
16           writing to the department requesting a [consolidated]
 
17           facilitated application process for the consideration
 
18           of the application. The written request shall include
 
19           sufficient data about the proposed project for the
 
20           department to determine which other agencies or
 
21           authorities may have jurisdiction;
 
22      (2)  Upon receiving a written request for the [consolidated]
 
23           facilitated application process, the department shall
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           notify all federal, state, and county agencies or
 
 2           authorities which the department determines may have
 
 3           jurisdiction over part or all of the proposed project,
 
 4           and require those state agencies or authorities and
 
 5           invite those county and federal agencies or authorities
 
 6           to participate in the [consolidated] facilitated
 
 7           application process;
 
 8      (3)  The applicant and each agency or authority required or
 
 9           agreeing to participate in the [consolidated]
 
10           facilitated application process shall designate a
 
11           representative to serve on the [consolidated]
 
12           facilitated application review team;
 
13      (4)  Any state agency or authority designated by the
 
14           department as a party to an application review that is
 
15           not able to participate, shall submit an explanation,
 
16           in writing, to the department as to the reasons and
 
17           circumstances for noncompliance;
 
18      (5)  The representatives of the agencies, authorities, and
 
19           the applicant may develop and sign a joint agreement
 
20           among themselves identifying the members of the
 
21           [consolidated] facilitated application review team,
 
22           specifying the regulatory and review responsibilities
 
23           of each government agency and setting forth the
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           responsibilities of the applicant, and establishing a
 
 2           timetable for regulatory review, the conduct of
 
 3           necessary hearings, preparation of an environmental
 
 4           impact statement if necessary, and other actions
 
 5           required to minimize duplication and coordinate the
 
 6           activities of the applicant, agencies, and authorities;
 
 7      (6)  Each agency or authority shall issue its own permit or
 
 8           approval based upon its own jurisdiction.  The
 
 9           [consolidated] facilitated application process shall
 
10           not affect or invalidate the jurisdiction or authority
 
11           of any agency under existing law; and
 
12      (7)  The applicant shall apply directly to each federal or
 
13           county agency that does not participate in the
 
14           [consolidated] facilitated application process.
 
15      (d)  If a state regulatory permit is necessary to obtain a
 
16 county permit, then a county agreeing to participate in the
 
17 [consolidated] facilitated application process may advise the
 
18 applicant of the [consolidated] facilitated application
 
19 procedure.  To apply for the [consolidated] facilitated
 
20 application procedure, applicants for county permits involving
 
21 state permit approvals shall submit a form, which shall be issued
 
22 by the department; provided that this procedure shall apply only
 
23 to state permits that need to be approved by a state agency
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 following a review of the plans and certifications submitted by
 
 2 the applicant.  State permits that are approved by rule require
 
 3 only that the licensed design professional certify that the plans
 
 4 and specifications are in compliance with state rules.  No review
 
 5 by a state agency is required for state approval.  Plans and
 
 6 specifications requiring state agency review shall be submitted
 
 7 with the [consolidated] facilitated application procedure to the
 
 8 appropriate state agency, with a copy to the department.  If a
 
 9 state permit is approved by rule, then the participating county
 
10 shall provide a set of drawings and specifications submitted by
 
11 the applicant to the state agency that developed the rules.
 
12      In developing the procedures for approval by rule and by
 
13 review, permit requirements shall be clearly stated.  Performance
 
14 standards, rather than specific technologies or procedures, shall
 
15 be specified when appropriate."
 
16      SECTION 3.  Section 201-62.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
17 amended to read as follows:
 
18      "[[]§201-62.5[]]  Permit process task force.(a)  To assist
 
19 the department of business, economic development, and tourism in
 
20 the [consolidated] facilitated application process, there is
 
21 established a permit process task force within the department for
 
22 administrative purposes to streamline and facilitate the state
 
23 permit approval process[.] for county building permit
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 applications requiring state agency approval.
 
 2      (b)  The task force shall consist of [eleven] sixteen
 
 3 members[, who shall be appointed by the governor.  The task force
 
 4 shall consist of:] as follows:
 
 5      (1)  The comptroller or the comptroller's designated
 
 6           representative;
 
 7      (2)  The director of business, economic development, and
 
 8           tourism or the director's designated representative;
 
 9      (3)  The director of health or the director's designated
 
10           representative;
 
11      (4)  The director of labor and industrial relations or the
 
12           director's designated representative;
 
13      (5)  The chairperson of the board of land and natural
 
14           resources or the chairperson's designated
 
15           representative;
 
16      (6)  The director of transportation or the director's
 
17           designated representative;
 
18      (7)  [Representatives of] A representative from the
 
19           construction labor unions[;] appointed by the governor;
 
20      (8)  [Representatives] Three representatives consisting of
 
21           developers, licensed building contractors, and members
 
22           of the American Institute of Architects Hawaii State
 
23           Council and the Consulting Engineers Council of
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           Hawaii[; and] appointed by the governor;
 
 2      (9)  [A representative] Two representatives from the public
 
 3           at large[.] appointed by the governor; and
 
 4     (10)  One representative from each of the four counties
 
 5           appointed by the mayor of each county.
 
 6 Each member of the task force shall serve [for a two-year term.]
 
 7 until June 30, 2002.  The members of the task force shall serve
 
 8 without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for expenses,
 
 9 including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their
 
10 duties.  Any vacancy on the task force shall be filled in the
 
11 same manner in which the original position was filled.
 
12      (c)  The task force, in conjunction with each affected state
 
13 agency, shall:
 
14      (1)  Examine the [consolidated] facilitated application
 
15           process and review all state agency rules pertaining to
 
16           the state permit approval process for county building
 
17           permit applications to determine the source of
 
18           inefficiencies, delays, and duplications, and the
 
19           status of permits in progress;
 
20      (2)  Identify all permits and approvals that the State
 
21           currently requires from applicants seeking approvals
 
22           for projects that require county permit applications;
 
23      (3)  Recommend to the governor which permits presently
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.           H.D. 2
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           approved by review shall be approved by rule [and which
 
 2           permits shall be approved by review], including the
 
 3           justification for approving [each permit] such permits
 
 4           by rule [or by review];
 
 5     [(4)  Adopt a plan and make recommendations to enable all
 
 6           applicants seeking state agency approval for permits,
 
 7           to undergo the permit by rule procedure, rather than
 
 8           the permit by review procedure;] and
 
 9     [(5)] (4)  Provide recommendations to expedite and facilitate
 
10           the permit approval process within each state agency
 
11           for applicants seeking state permit approvals to start
 
12           construction.
 
13      (d)  For purposes of this section:
 
14      "Permit by review" means permits approved by the appropriate
 
15 state departments.
 
16      "Permit by rule" means permits approved by administrative
 
17 rule.
 
18      (e)  This section shall be repealed on June 30, 2002."
 
19      SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 
20 New statutory material is underscored.
 
21      SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
 

 
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