STAND. COM. REP. NO. 36-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 1754

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1754 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase the installment of automatic fire sprinkler systems in the State by requiring builders of new one- and two-family dwellings to provide buyers with information on the benefits and costs associated with installing and maintaining a residential fire sprinkler system.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Fire Council, Honolulu Fire Department, Hawaii Fire Department, Kauai Fire Department, and Maui Fire Department. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Building Industry Association Hawaii, and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that installing smoke alarms and sprinklers in homes reduces the risk of fire-related deaths by eighty-two percent. This measure ensures that future homeowners are given valuable information about fire sprinkler systems when building a new home, which will enable these homeowners to make an informed choice regarding fire safety. This measure also establishes a civil fine in cases where a person willfully violates the requirements to provide the homebuyer with certain information.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2025, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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. 1754, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1754, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Intrastate Commerce and Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

TOM BROWER, Chair