STAND. COM. REP. NO. 831

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 1033

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1033 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to add to the State Building Code Council one member who represents the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, to be appointed by the Director of Hawaii Emergency Management.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Defense and Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the American Institute of Architects, Hawaii State Council.

Your Committee finds that the State has been unsuccessful in obtaining federally funded Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant monies from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which are designed to help communities undertake hazard mitigation projects that would reduce risks from disasters and hazards. A significant obstacle in competing for the BRIC grants has been the State's building code statute that allows considerable variation from county to county. None of the counties meet the most current standards. Additionally, Hawaii has not been rated by a national group as having a high commitment to building code enforcement. This measure will provide the State with a voice of expertise on how to update the building codes to make the State more competitive in securing federal mitigation grants as well as more resilient to future disasters and hazards.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1033, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1033, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair