STAND. COM. REP. NO.  143

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1461

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1461 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Prohibit counties from charging fees for the inspection of automatic fire sprinklers or automatic fire sprinkler systems in any affordable housing project under the jurisdiction of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation;

 

     (2)  Allow counties to mandate installation or retrofitting of automatic fire sprinklers in nonresidential agricultural and aquacultural buildings and structures located outside of an urban area; and

 

     (3)  Make permanent the prohibition on counties from requiring installation or retrofitting of automatic fire sprinklers in new or existing one- or two-family dwelling units used only for residential purposes.


 

     The County of Hawaii, Hawaii Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust Fund, Hawaii Association of REALTORS, Building Industry Association of Hawaii, The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Pacific Resource Partnership, and numerous individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation supported the intent of this bill.  The Hawaii State Fire Council, Honolulu Fire Department, National Fire Sprinkler Association, and a concerned individual testified in opposition to this measure.

 

     Your Committee notes that the provisions of this measure allowing counties to mandate installation or retrofitting of automatic fire sprinklers in certain nonresidential agricultural and aquacultural buildings and structures and making permanent

the prohibition on counties from requiring installation or retrofitting of automatic fire sprinklers in certain residential units are substantially similar to provisions contained in H.B. No. 1384, which was passed by your Committee.  As such, your Committee finds that these provisions should be deleted from this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting language allowing counties to mandate installation or retrofitting of automatic fire sprinklers in nonresidential agricultural and aquacultural buildings and structures located outside of an urban area;

 

     (2)  Deleting language making permanent the prohibition on counties from requiring installation or retrofitting of automatic fire sprinklers in certain residential dwelling units;

 

     (3)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2112, to facilitate further discussion; and

 

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


 

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

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

ANGUS L.K. McKELVEY, Chair