STAND. COM. REP. NO. 219

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 745

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 745 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to streamline building codes by:

(1) Beginning January 1, 2028, superseding all existing county building codes by the most recent Hawaii state building code adopted by the State Building Code Council and thereafter allowing the counties to remove requirements set by the state building codes or add requirements to the state building codes only with prior council approval; and

(2) Repeal the counties' authority to adopt, amend, and update the state building codes for their respective county building codes.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii; Hawaiʻi YIMBY; Legislative Advocacy Committee, American Institute of Architects, Hawaii State Council; and one individual.

Your Committee finds that under existing law, the State Building Code Council is required to adopt every iteration of the International Building Code and related codes within two years of their release; the counties have an additional two years to adopt and make their amendments to the state code. Your Committee further finds that the staggered adoption process means county building officials, builders, and architects must constantly re‑learn the build code requirements. This takes time and training, which can result in higher administrative costs, and can exacerbate permitting delays, which in turn can affect the price of housing. This measure removes this two-step process and ensures that a swift adoption of the state building code will be consistent statewide.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying the date on which all existing county building codes are superseded by the Hawaii State Building Code;

(2) Deleting specifications for how each county may amend the Hawaii State Building Code after the county building codes are superseded;

(3) Changing the effective date to January 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) 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 Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 745, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 745, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

LUKE A. EVSLIN, Chair