STAND. COM. REP. NO.  486-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

RE:   H.B. No. 2434

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources, to which was referred H.B. No. 2434, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PERMIT, LICENSE, AND APPROVAL APPLICATION PROCESSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to expedite the review and granting of permits, licenses, and other approvals for construction projects by, among other things:

(1)  Allowing the counties to contract with architects and engineers to certify an applicant's compliance with land use ordinances and building, electrical, and other codes;

(2)  Limiting the Historic Preservation Division to a 45-day period in which to review and comment on the effect of a proposed project, after which the permit license, or other approval is deemed approved; and

     (3)  Providing that an application for a permit, license, or other approval submitted on or after January 1, 2011, is to be deemed approved 30 days after it is submitted if an agency has not adopted rules setting a maximum time for approval.

     Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.; Building Industry Association of Hawaii; Castle & Cooke Hawaii; Pacific Resource Partnership; and Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii supported this bill.  Historic Hawaii Foundation, Hawaii's Thousand Friends, and a concerned individual opposed this bill.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Contractors License Board, and Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu commented.

     Your Committee finds that while this bill will facilitate all types of construction jobs, its most immediate impact will be to expedite construction of Honolulu rail, which is shovel-ready and will generate jobs and assist local businesses by pouring federal monies into our economy.

     Upon consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Extending the maximum time period for Historic Preservation Division review and comment from 45 days to 60 days; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2434, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2434, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources,

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair