STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1095-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1725

H.D. 2

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 H.B. No. 1725, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BUILDING CODES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Fix the applicable building codes, standards, and county amendments for the life of a building permit, subject to certain exceptions and rules;

(2) Specify the applicability of the International Residential Code, as adopted and amended by the State Building Code Council (Council);

(3) Authorize a county to adopt amendments to the Hawaii State Building Code without approval by the Council, under certain conditions;

(4) Beginning on the effective date of the next statewide adoption of the International Code Council suite of applicable codes as the Hawaii State Building Code, change the adoption of the Hawaii State Building Code from a two-year cycle to a six-year cycle;

(5) Repeal the counties' existing authority to amend or adopt the building codes without Council approval; and

(6) Appropriate funds for the Council for staff and consultant services.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Office of the Mayor of the County of Kauaʻi; Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu; one member of the Maui County Council; one member of the Kauaʻi County Council; Pacific Resource Partnership; PHAD Home Appliance; RMA Sales; Castle & Cooke Homes Hawaii, Inc.; Hawaiʻi YIMBY; Building Industry Association of Hawaii; American Institute of Architects, Hawaii State Council; Grassroot Institute of Hawaii; Holomua Collaborative; NAIOP Hawaii; Housing Hawaiʻi's Future; Hawaiʻi State Association of Counties; Title Guaranty of Hawaiʻi; Mana Up; Complete Construction Services Corp.; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the International Code Council; Plumbers and Fitters UA Local 675; ASHRAE; National Electrical Manufacturers Association; Free Access Coalition; Structural Engineers Association of Hawaii; Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi; Kūpuna for the Moʻopuna; Kauai Climate Action Coalition; American Chemistry Council; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office and International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials.

Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1725, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1725, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

CHRIS TODD, Chair