STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2100-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: S.B. No. 2645

S.D. 3

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2645, S.D. 3, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIRE PREVENTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the State Fire Code as the minimum statewide standard for fire and life safety;

(2) Prohibit the counties from adopting, amending, or enforcing any ordinance, rule, or code provision that is less restrictive than the State Fire Code and require any amendments to the State Fire Code proposed by a county to be submitted to the Office of the State Fire Marshal for review and approval before adoption or enforcement;

(3) Establish the State Fire and Life Safety Special Fund;

(4) Limit the frequency of fire and safety inspections at state facilities by the Office of the State Fire Marshal to once every three years; and

(5) Amend an appropriation in Act 302, Session Laws of Hawaii 2025, by replacing two full-time equivalent positions for fire inspectors and three full-time equivalent positions for fire investigators with four full-time equivalent positions for assistant fire marshals.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Governor; Department of Land and Natural Resources; State Fire Council; Office of the State Fire Marshal; and American Institute of Architects, Hawaiʻi State Council.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2645, S.D. 3, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

CHRIS TODD, Chair