STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2768

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2152

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 2152, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Disability and Communication Access Board to charge a fee for the reviews it conducts of public building plans as part of the design and construction process to ensure accessibility by persons with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Accessibility Guidelines and the Federal Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Disability and Communication Access Board and six individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.  Written testimony presented to the Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committee finds that the reviews of public building plans conducted by the Disability and Communication Access Board ensure the incorporation of adequate disability access into the design of public buildings and prevent expensive retrofitting to bring public buildings into compliance after they are built.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that rather than reporting on each plan reviewed, the Disability and Communication Access Board shall report annually on the number and type of plans reviewed and the fees collected for the reviews from each state or county department or agency; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity and accuracy.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2152, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2152, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair