STAND. COM. REP. NO. 306

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: H.B. No. 1131

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1131 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the State Building Code Council to:

(1) Consider the impact of building codes and standards on the cost of single-family and multi-family homes built in the State; and

(2) Include a financial impact assessment on each code and standard adopted by the State Building Code Council in the annual written report submitted to the Governor.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Building Industry Association of Hawaii. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii State Energy Office and Blue Planet Foundation.

Your Committee finds that the building codes and standards developed by the International Code Council increase the cost of housing construction in Hawaii, which reduces housing affordability. This measure requires the State Building Code Council to consider the financial impact that changes to construction costs will have for single-family and multi-family homes in the State before the adoption of any code or standard and report this information to the Governor, which will provide the public and the building industry with much needed information.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring the State Building Code Council to also consider a code's or standard's impact on amortized utility costs for single-family and multi-family homes;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1131, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1131, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair