STAND. COM. REP. NO.  668

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 1384

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1384, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to extend the prohibition that prevents the counties from requiring fire sprinklers in specific family dwelling units and non-residential agricultural and aquacultural buildings.

The Hawaii Association of Realtors, Pacific Resource Partnership, Building Industry Association of Hawaii, General Contractors Association of Hawaii, and numerous individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Hawaii State Fire Council, Honolulu Fire Department, Maui Fire Department, The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, International Code Council, and one individual testified in opposition.  The State Building Code Council provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Prohibiting the counties from mandating automatic fire sprinklers for an unspecified period;

     (2)  Changing its effective date to take effect upon a date to be determined, to facilitate further discussion; and

     (3)  Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for clarity, consistency, and style.

     It is your Committee's intent to extend the prohibition for less than 10 years.  In the meantime, your Committee urges the Board of Water Supply, Maui County Department of Water Supply, Hawaii County Department of Water Supply, Kauai County Department of Water, General Contractors Association of Hawaii, State Fire Council, Building Industry Association of Hawaii, and other stakeholders to convene a working group and submit recommendations to the Legislature 20 days prior to the 2018 Regular Session regarding the installation of fire sprinklers in residential dwellings and whether installation should be prohibited, required, or optional for each county or homeowner.

     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. 1384, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1384, H.D. 2.

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

____________________________

TOM BROWER, Chair