STAND. COM. REP. NO. 795

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 213

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 213, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the membership of the State Building Code Council by increasing the number of construction and building trade representatives and reducing the number of government members.

 

This measure also appropriates funds to support the State Building Code Council's efforts to adopt a uniform set of statewide building codes and consistent standards.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the American Institute of Architects, Building Industry Association Hawaii, General Contractors Association of Hawaii, and the Masons Union Local 1 and 630.  Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Department of Defense, the State Fire Council, the Hawaii Fire Department, the Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu, the Structural Engineers Association of Hawaii, and Architectural Diagnostics Ltd.  The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and the International Code Council submitted written comments on this measure.

 

     Your Committee finds that, unlike many other states, the membership of Hawaii's Building Code Council does not include representatives from the construction industry and building trades.  Amending the membership of the State Building Code Council to include these representatives will bring Hawaii in line with other states and provide the necessary balance of representation on the Council.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Changing the number of voting members that constitute a quorum from seven to nine;

 

(2)  Retaining Council membership of the member representing the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations who has significant experience in elevator or fire safety;

 

(3)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion on the measure; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 213, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 213, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair