STAND. COM. REP. NO.  937-12

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2012

RE:   H.B. No. 2553

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2553, 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 recognize the value of and recoup the costs associated with the construction plan review services of the Disability and Communication Access Board (DCAB) by, among other things:

     (1)  Requiring DCAB to charge established review fees constituting an unspecified percentage of the estimated construction cost as well as a flat-rate fee based on the estimated construction cost;

     (2)  Authorizing DCAB, in its discretion, to cap the review fee at $3,000 for infrastructure projects and projects managed by private nonprofit entities;

     (3)  Requiring the review fees to be deposited into DCAB Special Fund; and

     (4)  Defining "infrastructure".

Next Design, LLC and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  General Contractors Association of Hawaii testified in opposition to this measure.  DCAB and Department of Design and Construction of the City and County of Honolulu provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Amending the review fees for services rendered by DCAB by specifying a percentage based on estimated construction costs and eliminating flat-rate fees;

     (2)  Amending the definition of "infrastructure";

     (3)  Removing amendments to DCAB Disability and Communication Access Board Special Fund;

     (4)  Clarifying that DCAB's report to the Legislature regarding revenues collected pursuant to this measure is due 20 days prior to the convening of each regular session;

     (5)  Creating a five year sunset date; and

     (6)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

     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. 2553, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2553, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair