STAND. COM. REP. NO.  34-16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2243

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2243 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO FIRE SPRINKLERS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to permanently prohibit the counties from requiring the installation or retrofitting of automatic fire sprinklers or automatic fire sprinkler systems in new or existing detached one- or two-family dwelling units in residential structures and non-residential agricultural and aquacultural structures outside an urban area by repealing the sunset date of Act 83, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012.

 

     The Building Industry Association of Hawai‘i, Chamber of Commerce Hawai‘i, and a concerned individual supported this measure.  The State Fire Council, Honolulu Fire Department, Hawaii County Fire Department, and Kauai County Fire Department opposed this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Adding a new section to require contractors to disclose to purchasers, prior to agreeing to the final price for the construction of a new dwelling:

 

         (A)  Written material approved by the State Fire Council detailing the benefits of an automatic fire sprinkler; and

 

         (B)  A written estimate detailing the costs associated with the installation and maintenance of an automatic fire sprinkler; and

 

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to promote further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2243, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2243, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair