Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2768, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the design requirements for State and county construction projects to conform to the federal Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 and to clarify the application of the design requirements law as it pertains to projects involving federal funds.

The Disability and Communication Access Board (Board) testified in support of this measure.

Current law requires State and county projects to conform to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines, as amended by the Board. Your Committee finds that new construction of multi-family dwelling units must also conform to design requirements established in rules adopted under the federal Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988. Therefore, this measure establishes that requirement. In addition, this measure clarifies that the building design requirements law applies to projects for which the State and counties receive and administer federal funds, and not to all federal projects.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2768, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.