STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1291

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1436

       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 Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1436, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AWARDED FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for the Department of Accounting and General Services to update statewide building code standards for hurricane mitigation and secure a reimbursement grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency; Hawaii State Fire Council; Honolulu Fire Department; Department of Emergency Management, City and Council of Honolulu; Kauai Fire Department; The Maritime Group; and the Structural Engineers Association of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that the State Building Code Council, which is administratively attached to the Department of Accounting and General Services, was created to review and adopt current, nationally-recognized building codes and standards to ensure compliance with various requirements of building safety.  Your Committee notes that funding was never provided to the State Building Code Council for staff and operational expenses, which has limited the effectiveness of the Council.  Your Committee finds that the State Building Code Council applied for, and was awarded, a federal reimbursement grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to fund the adoption of hurricane mitigation standards.  However, under the terms of the reimbursement grant, the Department of Accounting and General Services is required to use its operating funds to accomplish the project and, after a review, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will reimburse the State up to $75,000.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the amount appropriated for fiscal year 2017-2018 from an unspecified amount to $75,000.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1436, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1436, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair