STAND. COM. REP. NO.  176

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 295

      H.D. 1

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. 295 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1)  Require contractors that build new one- and two-family dwellings to provide buyers with written materials prepared and adopted by the State Fire Council that detail the benefits of a residential fire sprinkler system;

(2)  Require builders to provide buyers of dwellings with a written cost estimate indicating the costs associated with installing and maintaining the sprinkler system; and

(3)  Establish penalties for licensees who willfully violate the law under this measure.

The Hawaii Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust and an individual opposed this measure.  The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) Professional and Vocational Licensing Division, Contractors License Board Legislative Committee, Hawaii State Fire Council, Honolulu Fire Department, and Building Industry Association of Hawaii commented on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:  

(1)  Changing its effective date to take effect upon a date to be determined to enable continued discussion on this measure; and

(2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for purposes of style, clarity, and consistency.

Your Committee respectfully requests the Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce to consider the recommendations made by DCCA that the State Fire Council be the responsible party to develop and file the completed forms, as this function would be best administered by the State Fire Council that has expertise in this area.  The State Fire Council can then remit the completed forms to DCCA.

     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. 295, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 295, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

TOM BROWER, Chair