SB 2339: State Building Code Council; Department of Accounting and General Services; Membership; Building Industry Association of Hawaii; General Contractors Association of Hawaii; Labor

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO THE STATE BUILDING CODE COUNCIL.

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

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the state building code council was established by Act 82, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, to create and implement the state building code.  The legislature further finds that health and safety considerations relating to the state building code are matters of statewide concern.

     The legislature also finds that the state building code council has struggled with limited funding and insufficient staffing since its creation.  Most members of the council are government officials lacking the required knowledge and experience, and as a result, amendments to the state building code often do not pertain to public health or safety and are adopted without analysis of financial impact; input from residential, commercial, and industrial builders; or consideration of the resulting increase in the overall cost of construction.  In addition, the law requires the state building code to be based on various codes, including the International Building Code, which is updated every three years.  This triennial updating process places significant burdens on the short-staffed state building code council.  The frequent updates also burden the staff of county building departments who spend hundreds of hours revising their respective county building codes, which in turn places additional burdens on the construction industry by requiring employees to learn the updated code and retrain workers.  These burdens are ultimately borne by consumers in the form of increased building costs and delays in permit processing.

     The legislature believes that increasing the number of members on the state building code council who have knowledge of the state building code will help to alleviate some of the burdens associated with the updating process.  Currently, a representative of the Building Industry Association of Hawaii and a representative of the General Contractors Association of Hawaii alternate serving four-year terms on the council.  The legislature believes that, since the state building code knowledge offered by these two entities is so critical to the council's efforts, representatives of both entities should have permanent, standing memberships on the council.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:

     (1)  Make both the representative of the Building Industry Association of Hawaii and the representative of the General Contractors Association of Hawaii permanent, standing members of the building code council; and

     (2)  Add the following two members to the state building code council:

          (A)  One member representing the Plumbers and Fitters United Association, Local 675; and

          (B)  One member representing the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1186.

     SECTION 2.  Section 107-22, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  There is established a state building code council.  The council shall be placed within the department of accounting and general services for administrative purposes only.  The council shall consist of [twelve] fifteen voting members and one nonvoting member, who shall be the comptroller or the comptroller's designee.  The council members shall serve four‑year terms.  The voting members shall include:

     (1)  One county building official from each of the four counties appointed by the mayor;

     (2)  One member representing the state fire council;

     (3)  One member representing the department of labor and industrial relations, who has significant experience in elevator safety;

     (4)  One member representing the Hawaii state energy office of the department of business, economic development, and tourism;

     (5)  One member representing the Hawaii emergency management agency, appointed by the director of Hawaii emergency management;

     (6)  One member representing the Structural Engineers Association of Hawaii;

     (7)  One member representing the American Institute of Architects, Hawaii State Council;

     (8)  One member representing the Building Industry Association of Hawaii [or the General Contractors Association of Hawaii,] who has significant experience with building codes[, with alternating four-year terms between the two organizations and the first four-year term to be served by the Building Industry Association of Hawaii; and];

     (9)  One member representing the Subcontractors' Association of Hawaii, who has significant experience with building codes[.];

    (10)  One member representing the General Contractors Association of Hawaii who has significant experience with building codes;

    (11)  One member representing the Plumbers and Fitters United Association, Local 675; and

    (12)  One member representing the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1186.

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.

Report Title:

State Building Code Council; Department of Accounting and General Services; Membership; Building Industry Association of Hawaii; General Contractors Association of Hawaii; Labor

Description:

Makes both the representative of the Building Industry Association of Hawaii and the representative of the General Contractors Association of Hawaii permanent standing members of the State Building Code Council, instead of members who alternate terms every 4 years.  Adds members representing the Plumbers and Fitters United Association, Local 675 and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1186 to the State Building Code Council.  Effective 7/1/2050.  (SD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to the state building code council.

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

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the state building code council was established by Act 82, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007, to create and implement the state building code.  The legislature further finds that health and safety considerations relating to the state building code are matters of statewide concern.

     The legislature also finds that the state building code council has struggled with limited funding and insufficient staffing since its creation.  Most members of the council are government officials lacking the required knowledge and experience, and as a result, amendments to the state building code often do not pertain to public health or safety and are adopted without analysis of financial impact; input from residential, commercial, and industrial builders; or consideration of the resulting increase in the overall cost of construction.  In addition, the law requires the state building code to be based on various codes, including the International Building Code, which is updated every three years.  This triennial updating process places significant burdens on the short-staffed state building code council.  The frequent updates also burden the staff of county building departments who spend hundreds of hours revising their respective county building codes, which in turn places additional burdens on the construction industry by requiring employees to learn the updated code and retrain workers.  These burdens are ultimately borne by consumers in the form of increased building costs and delays in permit processing.

     The legislature believes that increasing the number of members on the state building code council who have knowledge of the state building code will help to alleviate some of the burdens associated with the updating process.  Currently, a representative of the Building Industry Association of Hawaii and a representative of the General Contractors Association of Hawaii alternate serving four-year terms on the council.  The legislature believes that, since the state building code knowledge offered by these two entities is so critical to the council's efforts, representatives of both entities should have permanent, standing memberships on the council.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to make both the representative of the Building Industry Association of Hawaii and the representative of the General Contractors Association of Hawaii permanent, standing members of the building code council.

     SECTION 2.  Section 107-22, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  There is established a state building code council.  The council shall be placed within the department of accounting and general services for administrative purposes only.  The council shall consist of [twelve] thirteen voting members and one nonvoting member, who shall be the comptroller or the comptroller's designee.  The council members shall serve four‑year terms.  The voting members shall include:

     (1)  One county building official from each of the four counties appointed by the mayor;

     (2)  One member representing the state fire council;

     (3)  One member representing the department of labor and industrial relations, who has significant experience in elevator safety;

     (4)  One member representing the Hawaii state energy office of the department of business, economic development, and tourism;

     (5)  One member representing the Hawaii emergency management agency, appointed by the director of Hawaii emergency management;

     (6)  One member representing the Structural Engineers Association of Hawaii;

     (7)  One member representing the American Institute of Architects, Hawaii State Council;

     (8)  One member representing the Building Industry Association of Hawaii [or the General Contractors Association of Hawaii,] who has significant experience with building codes[, with alternating four-year terms between the two organizations and the first four-year term to be served by the Building Industry Association of Hawaii; and];

     (9)  One member representing the Subcontractors' Association of Hawaii, who has significant experience with building codes[.]; and

    (10)  One member representing the General Contractors Association of Hawaii who has significant experience with building codes."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Report Title:

State Building Code Council; Department of Accounting and General Services; Membership; Building Industry Association of Hawaii; General Contractors Association of Hawaii

Description:

Makes both the representative of the Building Industry Association of Hawaii and the representative of the General Contractors Association of Hawaii permanent standing members of the State Building Code Council, instead of members who alternate terms every 4 years.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2575

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:     S.B. No. 2339

        S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Government Operations, to which was referred S.B. No. 2339 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to make both the representative of the Building Industry Association of Hawaii and the representative of the General Contractors Association of Hawaii permanent standing members of the State Building Code Council, instead of members who alternate terms every four years.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Building Industry Association of Hawaii, Housing Hawaiʻi's Future, General Contractors Association of Hawaii, and Complete Construction Services Corporation.

     Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 1186, Plumbers and Fitters United Association Local 675, American Institute of Architects Hawaii, and one individual.

     Your Committees find that the Building Industry Association of Hawaii specializes in residential code while the General Contractors' Association of Hawaii specializes in commercial code.  However, the two associations alternate four year terms on the State Building Code Council, meaning that coverage of either residential or commercial code is incomplete.  Given the challenges the State faces in development, especially of new housing, having a consistent system for establishing building codes is essential.  The alternating positions on the State Building Code Council undermine this goal.  By including both representatives on the State Building Code Council simultaneously, this measure ensures, not only fairness and consistency in the development of building codes, but also greater safety and more efficient implementation of building codes.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding two members representing the Plumbers and Fitters United Association, Local 675 and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1186 to the State Building Code Council;

     (2)  Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose; and

     (3)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2339, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2339, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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