STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1356

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1435

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1435, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII HURRICANE RELIEF FUND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS REDUCTION PLAN,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify that the comprehensive loss reduction plan of the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund shall include:

     (1)  Development and implementation of building code hurricane standards for new residential and commercial structures;

     (2)  Development and implementation of hurricane standards for existing residential and commercial structures; and

     (3)  Funding to support the adoption of administrative rules to implement hurricane-related building code and design standards.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, City and County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management, Structural Engineers Association of Hawaii, and American Council of Engineering Companies of Hawaii.

     Your Committees find that the State Building Code Council was created in 2007.  A major responsibility of the State Building Code Council is to establish residential and hurricane resistant standards that are related to the loss mitigation standards required to be developed by the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund.  However, staff and operating expenses for the State Building Code Council have never been funded, and as a result, the State is currently three iterations behind in updating and adopting the International Building Code, which is updated every three years.  When the International Building Code is updated, it incorporates the latest knowledge gained from researchers and engineers around the world who observe the way buildings and structures have failed during actual disaster events, such as hurricanes.

     Your Committees additionally find that updated state building codes are critical to save lives, protect infrastructure, and expedite recovery for future disasters.  Furthermore, an outdated State Building Code adversely affects the timely receipt of federal disaster aid by the State, since such aid requires the application of the most recent edition of the model building codes.  This measure therefore establishes a recurring, systemic process, using the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund, to update the hurricane-related standards of the State Building Code through the administrative rules process.  Your Committees note that this process will help mitigate future hurricane losses, while also preserving the sustainability of the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund and, in turn, the housing and commercial real estate markets in the State.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1435, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Ways and Means,

________________________________ JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair

________________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair