STAND. COM. REP. NO. 124

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 634

       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 Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 634 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE STATE BUILDING CODES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to expedite the review, update, and adoption of the Uniform Plumbing Code as it relates to the Hawaii State Building Codes.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the State Fire Council, Kaua‘i Fire Department, and Hawaii Fresh Water Initiative.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the General Contractors Association of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that the conservation and reuse of water are vital components in the continued maintenance of an adequate fresh water supply for the State.  One important part of conserving and reusing water is the timely adoption of amendments to the State's Uniform Plumbing Code.  Accordingly, this measure aims to expedite the review, update, and adoption of the Uniform Plumbing Code as it relates to the Hawaii State Building Codes.  Specifically, this measure requires the State Building Code Council to adopt amendments to the Uniform Plumbing Code within one year after publication of an updated Uniform Plumbing Code by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials and requires each county to subsequently adopt the Council's Uniform Plumbing Code amendments within one year.  This measure further provides that if a county does not amend the Hawaii state building codes, which include the Uniform Plumbing Code, within the designated time frame, then the Hawaii state building codes shall become the interim county building code.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 634, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 634, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair