STAND. COM. REP. NO. 455-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1712

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 Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1712 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 make both the representative of the Building Industry Association of Hawaii and the representative of the General Contractors Association of Hawaii permanent standing members of the State Building Code Council, instead of members who alternate terms every four years.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Building Industry Association of Hawaii; General Contractors Association of Hawaii; PHAD - Pacific Home and Appliance Distribution; RMA Sales; Pacific Resource Partnership; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaiʻi; O'Donnell Construction, LLC; Top Priority, Inc.; D.R. Horton Hawaii; Kapolei Chamber of Commerce; and five individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the American Institute of Architects, Hawaiʻi State Council; and Plumbers and Fitters United Association Local 675.

Your Committee finds that the Building Industry Association of Hawaii specializes in the residential code and the General Contractors Association of Hawaii specializes in the commercial code. Your Committee further finds that this measure, which includes more building industry professionals in the development and adoption process of the Hawaii State Building Code, would help provide the Hawaii State Building Code Council with much-needed real-world information, such as the availability of materials and technologies in Hawaii, potential effects on project timelines and permitting, and actual cost of amendments. Your Committee also finds that including the knowledge, perspective, and insight of the licensed trades on the Hawaii State Building Council is prudent.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Adding one representative of the Plumbers and Fitters United Association, Local 675, and one representative of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1186, as members of the Hawaii State Building Code Council;

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) 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 Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1712, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1712, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair