STAND. COM. REP. NO. 427

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 213

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 213 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE BUILDING CODE COUNCIL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Reconfigure the membership of the State Building Code Council by eliminating members from the Department of Health and Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and adding members from the Building Industry Association of Hawaii, General Contractors Association, Hawaii Construction Alliance, and Subcontractors' Association of Hawaii;

     (2)  Change the requirements for a quorum from six to seven; and

     (3)  Eliminate the Council's obligation to consult with private sector representatives regarding construction practices and training.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Fire Council; Kauai Fire Department; Department of Fire and Public Safety, County of Maui; Building Industry Association; Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.; American Institute of Architects; American Council of Engineering Companies of Hawaii; International Code Council; General Contractors Association of Hawaii; and The Pacific Resource Partnership.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Defense; Structural Engineers Association of Hawaii; Local Union No. 126, International Union of Elevator Constructors; and the Ironworkers Stabilization Fund.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

     Your Committee finds that Act 82, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, established the adoption of a uniform set of statewide building codes to apply consistent standards and the State Building Code Council.  However, unlike more than half of the states that have a building code council, Hawaii's building code council does not have any representatives from the construction industry and building trades.  This measure reconfigures the membership of the State Building Code Council to increase construction industry and building trade representation.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding to the State Building Code Council one representative each from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Department of Accounting and General Services; Hawaii Building and Construction Trades Council; and American Council of Engineering Companies;

     (2)  Making an appropriation to support the work of the State Building Code Council; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 213, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 213, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair