STAND. COM. REP. NO.  896

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

RE:   H.B. No. 756

      H.D. 3

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. 756, H.D. 2, 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, among other things:

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

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

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

     This measure also establishes a temporary fee schedule based upon estimated construction costs.

     The Department of Accounting and General Services and several concerned individuals supported this measure.  The General Contractors Association of Hawaii and BIA-Hawaii opposed this measure.  The Department of Design and Construction of the City and County of Honolulu and DCAB provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Removing the requirement that DCAB adopt rules to establish a fee schedule;

     (2)  Removing the temporary fee schedule and instead establishing it statutorily;

     (3)  Permitting DCAB to charge a $3,000 maximum plan review fee on infrastructure projects, rather than public rights-of-way projects; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for 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. 756, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 756, H.D. 3.

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

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair