STAND. COM. REP. NO. 529

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 150

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 150, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BUILDING DESIGN FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is require the Disability and Communication Access Board to collect a fee for reviewing construction plans of public buildings and facilities for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

 

Specifically, this measure:

 

(1)  Directs the Disability and Communication Access Board to charge a fee for reviewing plans and specifications for the construction of public buildings and facilities;

 

(2)  Directs the Disability and Communication Access Board  to report annually to the Legislature on its revenues collected;

 

(3)  Establishes the accessible building design special account within the disability and communication access board special fund, into which the review fees shall be deposited; and

 

(4)  Establishes a temporary fee schedule until the Disability and Communication Access Board adopts rules to establish a permanent schedule.

 

     Comments on this measure were submitted by Colin Lam, Director, City and County of Honolulu, Department of Design and Construction; and one concerned individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that the Disability and Communication Access Board's review of the construction plans of public buildings and facilities ensures accessible building design for persons with disabilities and compliance of public facilities with the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Your Committee further finds that requiring the Board to collect a fee for its services will defray the Board's expenses in conducting its reviews and enable the Board to become self-sustaining.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

(1)  Changing the amounts in the temporary schedule of fees to be charged for review services to unspecified amounts;

 

(2)  Clarifying that the temporary fee schedule will be repealed when the Disability and Communication Access Board adopts rules to implement a permanent fee schedule;

 

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

 

(4)  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 Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 150, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 150, S.D. 2.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair