STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2702

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2638

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2638 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE BUILDING CODE COUNCIL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make an appropriation to the Department of Accounting and General Services for the operations of the State Building Code Council.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Accounting and General Services; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; State Building Code Council; Department of Fire and Public Safety of the County of Maui; American Council of Engineering Companies of Hawaii; American Institute of Architects; Building Industry Association of Hawaii; and General Contractors Association of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that the State Building Code Council was established in 2007 and authorized to adopt, amend, or update state building codes and standards, pursuant to section 107-24, Hawaii Revised Statutes.  However, the Council has not received any funding since its inception.  Appropriating moneys for the council's operations will allow the council to perform its duties and modernize the State's building codes to promote safety and uniformity.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the appropriation from $150,000 to an unspecified amount; and

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2076, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2638, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2638, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair