STAND. COM. REP. NO. 461

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1297

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Government Operations and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1297 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AWARDED FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Appropriate funds to the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) to update the state building code pursuant to the requirements of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) hazard mitigation reimbursement grant awarded to the State; and

 

     (2)  Require all reimbursements from the FEMA hazard mitigation grant to be deposited into the general fund.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii State Fire Council, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, Department of Public Works of the County of Maui, Kauai Fire Department, Mason Contractors Association of Hawaii, Masonry Institute of Hawaii, Structural Engineers Association of Hawaii, American Council of Engineering Companies of Hawaii, and one individual.

 

     Your Committees find that the State Building Code Council (SBCC) is obligated to update the State Building Code every six years, and that the most recent update in 2010 was based on the 2006 International Building Code.  Your Committees further find that SBCC requires funds to implement the adoption of the 2012 International Building Code with the State's amendments incorporating updated standards and wind maps for hurricane risk mitigation.  Your Committees further find that a FEMA mitigation reimbursement grant was awarded to the State in November 2016 for this purpose and, after a review to determine that the conditions of the grant were met, FEMA will reimburse the State for the funds expended under this measure.  Your Committees further find that public safety is best served by updating the State Building Code pursuant to modern International Standards and is necessary for compliance with FEMA disaster assistance requirements.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Government Operations and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1297, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1297, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations and Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

 

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair

 

________________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair