STAND. COM. REP. NO.  524

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 756

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, & Ocean Resources, to which was referred H.B. No. 756, 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 bill is to promote building design that is accessible and usable by persons with disabilities by requiring the Disability and Communication Access Board (DCAB) to:

     (1)  Charge fees for its review of building designs;

     (2)  Establish a fee schedule that includes tiered fees based upon estimated construction costs;

     (3)  Establish an Accessible Building Design Special Account within the DCAB Special Fund; and

     (4)  Report annually to the Legislature regarding the revenues collected under paragraph (1).

     The Department of Accounting and General Services and several concerned individuals supported this bill.  DCAB supported the intent of this measure.  The Building Industry Association-Hawaii opposed this bill.

     After careful consideration, your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Temporarily establishing the fees to be charged by DCAB from the effective date of this bill until July 1, 2012;

     (2)  Adjusting the estimated costs of construction that will incur a fee of $200 from "less than $100,000" to "up to $100,000"; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of 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. 756, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 756, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

JERRY L. CHANG, Chair