STAND. COM. REP. NO. 545-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: H.B. No. 1754

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Intrastate Commerce and Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1754, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase the installment of automatic fire sprinkler systems in the State by:

(1) 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; and

(2) Requiring the Professional and Vocational Licensing Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to develop a standard form for this purpose.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Fire Council, Honolulu Fire Department, Build With Strength, and one individual. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Building Industry Association of Hawaii.

Your Committees find that the material used in new dwellings is particularly susceptible to residential fires. Your Committees further find that installing smoke alarms and sprinklers in a home reduces the risk of fire-related deaths by eighty-two percent. Your Committees have heard the concerns raised in testimony by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, that the Department's Professional and Vocational Licensing Division lacks the requisite expertise to develop the forms needed to document a homebuyer's decision to accept or reject the option to install a residential sprinkler system. Your Committees understand these concerns and believe the county fire departments may be better suited to carry out this responsibility.

Therefore, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the county fire departments, rather than the Professional and Vocational Licensing Division, to develop the buyer acknowledgement forms; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Intrastate Commerce and Consumer Protection & Commerce that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1754, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Finance, in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1754, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Intrastate Commerce and Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________ ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair

____________________________ TAKASHI OHNO, Chair