SB 2064: Governor; DAGS; Office of the State Architect; State Architect; State Construction Projects; Design Approvals; Design Review; Report; Appropriation

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2064
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to State construction projects.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

PART I

     SECTION 1.  The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"Chapter

state architect

     §   -1  Definitions.  As used in this chapter:

     "State agency" means any office, department, board, commission, bureau, division, public corporation, agency, or instrumentality of the State.

     "State lands" means all land owned by the State through any state agency.

     §   -2  State architect; office established; appointment, tenure, removal; requirements; salary.  (a)  There is established within the department of accounting and general services the office of the state architect, which shall be headed by a full-time state architect appointed by the governor pursuant to section 26-34.  The state architect shall report to the comptroller.

     (b)  No person shall be eligible for the position of state architect who has not held, for at least five years immediately preceding the date of appointment, a valid license pursuant to chapter 464.

     (c)  The state architect shall not engage in the private practice of professional architecture or act in a managing capacity in any private business or enterprise.

     (d)  The salary of the state architect shall be established by the governor.

     §   -3  Duties and responsibilities.  The state architect shall have general charge and oversight of the design review of all state construction projects.  The state architect shall:

     (1)  Review all plans, drawings, specifications, and any other documents necessary for state construction projects;

     (2)  Ensure conformance with all applicable building codes and county, national, or international prescriptive construction standards, including construction, electrical, energy conservation, plumbing, and sidewalk standards;

     (3)  Issue design approvals for traditional design‑bid‑build state construction projects awarded by competitive sealed bidding pursuant to section 103D‑302, before the projects commence; provided that no design approvals shall be required for:

          (A)  Design-build projects, as defined in section 103D-104; and

          (B)  Public-private partnership projects; and

     (4)  Assign an inspector to each state construction project for the purpose of observing the work of construction.

     §   -4  Assistance and staff.  The state architect may employ or contract with qualified architects and engineers as necessary, without regard to chapter 76, to carry out the duties and responsibilities established by this chapter.

     §   -5  Costs for services; fees.  The cost of all design review services performed by the office of the state architect for a state agency shall be determined by the state architect.  In addition, the state architect may set, charge, and collect reasonable fees, without regard to chapter 91, in an amount sufficient to defray the cost of processing design approvals.  All payments shall be deposited into the general fund.

     §   -6  Administrative rules.  No later than December 31, 2026, the comptroller, in consultation with the state architect, shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to effectuate the purposes of this chapter.

     §   -7  Annual report.  The state architect shall prepare and submit an annual report to the governor and legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session.  The report shall include a summary describing the activities of the office of the state architect, including a list and description of each state construction project reviewed or that received a design approval during the preceding fiscal year."

     SECTION 2.  Section 26-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

     "(b)  The department shall:

     (1)  Preaudit and conduct after-the-fact audits of the financial accounts of all state departments to determine the legality of expenditures and the accuracy of accounts;

     (2)  Report to the governor and to each regular session of the legislature as to the finances of each department of the State;

     (3)  Administer the state risk management program;

     (4)  Establish and manage motor pools;

     (5)  Manage the preservation and disposal of all records of the State;

     (6)  Undertake the program of centralized engineering and office leasing services, including operation and maintenance and lease buyback processing pursuant to subsection (d) of public buildings, for departments of the State;

     (7)  Undertake the functions of the state surveyor;

     (8)  Establish accounting and internal control systems;

     (9)  Have the discretion to employ persons within the comptroller's office who shall be exempt from chapters 76 and 89 in support of communications, change management, and business process improvement programs as part of the State's information technology modernization efforts; provided that the persons shall be members of the state employees' retirement system and shall be eligible to receive the benefits of any state employee benefit program generally applicable to officers and employees of the State;

    (10)  Provide centralized computer information management and processing services through the chief information officer;

    (11)  Establish a program to provide a means for public access to public information and develop an information network for state government;

    (12)  Assume administrative responsibility for the office of information practices; [and]

    (13)  Approve state fleet acquisitions; provided that:

          (A)  Beginning January 1, 2022, all new light-duty motor vehicles that are passenger cars purchased for the State's fleet shall be zero-emission vehicles;

          (B)  Beginning as soon as practicable but no later than January 1, 2030, all new light-duty motor vehicles that are multipurpose passenger vehicles and trucks for the State's fleet shall be zero‑emission vehicles; and

          (C)  The comptroller may authorize an exemption for new fleet vehicle purchases if zero-emission vehicles are demonstrated to be cost-prohibitive on a lifecycle basis or unsuitable for the vehicles' planned purpose, or if funds are unavailable[.]; and

    (14)  Oversee design review services for state construction projects and issue certain design approvals through the state architect.

     For the purposes of this subsection:

     "Light-duty motor vehicle" has the same meaning as defined in title 10 Code of Federal Regulations part 490.

     "Multipurpose passenger vehicle" has the same meaning as defined in title 49 Code of Federal Regulations section 571.3.

     "Passenger car" has the same meaning as defined in title 49 Code of Federal Regulations section 571.3.

     "Truck" has the same meaning as defined in title 49 Code of Federal Regulations section 571.3.

     "Zero-emission vehicle" has the same meaning as specified in title 40 Code of Federal Regulations section 88.1."

PART II

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for:

     (1)  The establishment of:

          (A)  One full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) state architect position pursuant to section 1 of this Act; and

          (B)       full-time equivalent (      FTE) positions within the office of the state architect, for the administration and implementation of this Act;

     (2)  A study by the comptroller examining potential strategies and actions for the State to streamline county permitting processes for efficient review and approval of state construction projects, including the feasibility of appropriating state funding for county positions dedicated exclusively to the permitting of State construction projects; and

     (3)  Any other associated administrative costs necessary to effectuate the purposes of this Act.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of accounting and general services for the purposes of this Act; provided that no sum shall be expended prior to the adoption of an amended or updated state building code by the state building code council pursuant to section 107-24, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

 

Report Title:

Governor; DAGS; Office of the State Architect; State Architect; State Construction Projects; Design Approvals; Design Review; Report; Appropriation

 

Description:

Establishes within the Department of Accounting and General Services the Office of the State Architect, directed by a State Architect appointed by the Governor.  Requires the State Architect to organize, manage, and oversee the design review of all state construction projects and issue design approvals for traditional design-bid-build state construction projects.  Requires an annual report to the Governor and Legislature.  Authorizes the Department of Accounting and General Services to oversee design review services for state construction projects and issue certain design approvals through the State Architect.  Appropriates moneys.  Effective 7/1/2050.

 

 

 

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