STAND. COM. REP. NO.  830

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 376

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 376, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to spur construction and other projects that will result in the generation of construction and other related jobs by streamlining portions of the review process for permits, licenses, and approvals by, among other things:

     (1)  Allowing the counties to contract with licensed, qualified architects and engineers to serve as third-party reviewers to certify compliance with various construction codes as well as land-use ordinances;

     (2)  Limiting to 60 days the period within which the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has to review and comment on pending state and county project approvals that affect historic properties, aviation artifacts, or burial sites before the proposed project will be deemed approved; and

     (3)  Providing that if an agency has not adopted rules specifying the maximum period within which to grant or deny a business- or development-related permit, license, or approval, the application will be deemed approved 30 calendar days after a completed application is submitted to the State or respective county agency.

     The Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii and The Pacific Resource Partnership supported this bill.  The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Historic Hawaii Foundation, Sierra Club-Hawaii Chapter, Legislative Committee of the Society for Hawaiian Archaeology, Hawaii's Thousand Friends, Life of the Land, and many concerned individuals opposed this bill.  The Board of Professional Engineers, Architects, Surveyors and Landscape Architects provided comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 376, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair