STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2211

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1461

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1461 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BUILDING INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Amend the exemption from the requirement that plans and specifications for construction projects be prepared and construction observed by a licensed engineer, architect, or landscape architect to be determined by floor area of work, rather than estimated cost; and

(2) Exempt one- or two-storied structures that are used primarily as a residence from these requirements.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors, and Landscape Architects and one individual.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the State is undergoing a housing crisis. This issue is made worse by factors like inflation, which can severely increase costs to construct new housing or make repairs to existing residences. This measure establishes certain exemptions from certain requirements that can add to these costs, by shifting the qualification from cost of work to floor area of work.

Your Committee notes that this measure is a carryover measure from the Regular Session of 2023 and that amendments are necessary to incorporate statutory changes from Act 177, Session Laws of Hawaii 2023 (Act 177). Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by incorporating statutory amendments from Act 177.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1461, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1461, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,

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STANLEY CHANG, Chair