STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3487

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 53

       S.D. 2

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Tourism and Government Operations, to which was referred S.R. No. 53, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE STATE BUILDING CODE COUNCIL TO ADOPT EXPEDITIOUSLY PROVISIONS IN THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE, 2006 EDITION, RELATING TO PHYSICAL ASSISTANCE IN EVACUATION FOR RESIDENTS IN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES OR SIMILAR FACILITIES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to urge the State Building Code Council to adopt provisions in the International Building Code, 2006 Edition, relating to physical assistance in evacuation for residents in assisted living facilities or similar facilities.

     Testimony in support of the measure was submitted by the Department of Human Services, the Department of Accounting and General Services, the Disability and Communication Access Board, and the City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting.

     Your Committee finds that, given Hawaii's aging population, the State must support efforts to address long-term care needs and initiatives to assist elderly individuals to age in place.  Assisted living facilities provide a combination of housing and personalized support services designed to respond to individual needs and to promote choice, responsibility, independence, privacy, dignity, and individuality.  The care provided in assisted living facilities allows those seniors who do not require the level of care that is required in skilled nursing facilities to receive appropriate assistance while preserving and maintaining their independence. 

     This measure requests the State Building Code Council to adopt provisions of the International Building Code that relate to physical assistance in evacuation for residents in assisted living facilities, or other appropriate measures.  Your Committee determines that the adoption of such provisions is necessary for promoting the safety of assisted living facilities, which is also critical to expanding long-term care options in Hawaii.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by including language to express the consensus of the Department of Human Services, the Department of Accounting and General Services, and the City and County of Honolulu that such provisions be included in the State Building Code.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism and Government Operations that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 53, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 53, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Tourism and Government Operations,

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair