STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1198

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1033

H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 1033, H.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to add to the State Building Code Council one member who represents the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, to be appointed by the Director of Hawaii Emergency Management.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Defense, Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency, and Hawaii State Energy Office.

Your Committee finds that Federal Emergency Management Agency grants are available to help communities with mitigation projects to reduce risks from natural and human-caused hazards and threats. However, the State has not been able to successfully compete for and obtain those funds, largely due to the significant obstacle of the State's building code. The State's building code varies considerably from county to county, with none of the counties meeting the most current national standards. This measure will provide the State Building Code Council with necessary expertise on how to update building codes to make the State more resilient to future disasters and hazards and make the State more competitive in securing federal mitigation grants by adding a Hawaii Emergency Management representative to the Council.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1033, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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GLENN WAKAI, Chair