SR 30: Requesting the Office of the governor, state building code council, building departments OF EACH COUNTY, mayors OF EACH COUNTY, and chairs of the SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STANDING committees on housing to develop a comprehensive strategy for adopting UPDATED building codes.

SENATE RESOLUTION

Requesting the Office of the governor, state building code council, building departments OF EACH COUNTY, mayors OF EACH COUNTY, and chairs of the SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STANDING committees on housing to develop a comprehensive strategy for adopting UPDATED building codes.

     WHEREAS, building codes are a multi-tiered set of rules and standards at the local, state, and federal levels that govern construction to safeguard public safety and the longevity of infrastructure; and

     WHEREAS, increasingly frequent natural disasters make constructing resilient, stable structures of vital importance to public safety; and

     WHEREAS, the State's building codes are governed by multiple bodies, including the State Building Code Council, county-level building and planning departments, and the Legislature; and

     WHEREAS, Governor Josh Green's 2023 Proclamation Relating to Affordable Housing sought to fast track the construction of housing, especially on Maui, but has had the unintended consequence of suspending the State Building Code Council and adopting unamended building codes formulated by the International Code Council; and

     WHEREAS, as many of the unamended codes do not apply to the State, such as those for snow, Governor Green issued another proclamation allowing counties not to abide by the 2021 building code, meaning contractors now face unclear directives that jeopardize construction and public safety; and

     WHEREAS, the State's building codes must now be amended to comply with national standards, offer contractors clarity, and reflect local issues and updated best practices for expedient, safe construction; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Office of the Governor, State Building Code Council, building departments of each county, Mayors of each county, and chairs of the standing committees on housing in the Senate and House of Representatives are urged to develop a comprehensive strategy for the statewide adoption of updated building codes; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the comprehensive strategy is requested to be formulated through stakeholder engagement and address the feasibility of compliance with updated codes; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor; members of the State Building Code Council; Director, Supervisor, or Chief of the building departments of each county, Mayor of each county, and the chairs of the standing committees on housing in the Senate and House of Representatives.

Report Title: 

Office of the Governor; State Building Code Council; County Building Departments; Mayors; Housing Committee; Building Codes; Contractors; Compliance

SENATE RESOLUTION

URGING THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL TO EXTEND THE TIMEFRAME BETWEEN MODEL CODE UPDATES AND ADOPTION PROCESSES AND TAKE A MORE BALANCED AND DELIBERATIVE APPROACH TO CODE REVISIONS.

     WHEREAS, the International Code Council plays a vital role in establishing and revising model building codes that impact construction standards worldwide; and

     WHEREAS, the current model code adoption schedule imposes stringent timelines that present significant challenges to jurisdictions and industry stakeholders with respect to implementation, compliance, and associated costs; and

     WHEREAS, frequent updates to building codes require substantial financial and administrative investments from municipalities, developers, and construction professionals, which increases burdens on entities in both the public and private sectors; and

     WHEREAS, the rapid pace of code revisions does not provide sufficient time for comprehensive evaluation, public input, and industry adaptation, which leads to increased costs, project delays, and logistical inefficiencies; and

     WHEREAS, extending the timeframe between adoption processes would enable stakeholders to better analyze, budget for, and implement necessary changes, which would lead to improvements in compliance, safety standards, and economic feasibility; and

     WHEREAS, the length of time that county planning departments take to review and approve projects is significantly affected by the frequent adoption of new building codes, which leads to extended delays, administrative bottlenecks, and increased costs for developers and homeowners; and

     WHEREAS, extending the timeframe between code adoption processes would also encourage more thorough stakeholder engagement, make new regulations more practical, and ensure smoother transitions to revised standards; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the International Code Council is urged to:

     (1)  Extend the timeframe between model code updates and adoption processes, to allow for greater industry preparation, cost mitigation, and regulatory efficiency; and

     (2)  Take a more balanced and deliberative approach to code revisions to ensure that all impacted parties have adequate time to assess, plan, and implement necessary changes without undue financial and operational burdens; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all recipients of this Resolution are urged to advocate for a more sustainable and effective code adoption schedule; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Comptroller, Chairperson of the State Building Code Council, Chair of each County Council in the State of Hawaii, President of the Board of Directors of the International Code Council, Chief Executive Officer of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Fire Protection Association, and President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Home Builders.

Report Title: 

International Code Council; Building Codes; Adoption; Revisions

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1550

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 30

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.R. No. 30 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL TO EXTEND THE TIMEFRAME BETWEEN MODEL CODE UPDATES AND ADOPTION PROCESSES AND TAKE A MORE BALANCED AND DELIBERATIVE APPROACH TO CODE REVISIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the International Code Council to extend the timeframe between model code updates and adoption processes and take a more balanced and deliberative approach to code revisions.

     Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee received comments on this measure from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 1260 and International Code Council.

     Your Committee finds that building codes are a critically important aspect of public safety that should be formulated and adopted on a timeline that serves the best interest of the State and its people.  Your Committee notes the concerns raised in the testimony received at the public hearing held on this measure regarding the potential impact of altering the existing process and timeline for building code adoption. 

     Your Committee notes that S.C.R. No. 24 (2025) is a substantially similar measure that also addresses strategies for adopting updated building codes.  Your Committee concludes that the language in S.C.R. No. 24 is preferable because it does not request the International Code Council to extend the timeframe between model code updates and adoption processes.

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting the contents of S.C.R. No. 24, a substantially similar measure, which:

     (1)  Requests the Office of the Governor, State Building Code Council, building departments of each county, mayors of each county, and chairs of the Senate and House of Representatives standing committees on housing to develop a comprehensive strategy for adopting updated building codes; and

     (2)  Requests that the comprehensive strategy be formulated through stakeholder engagement and addresses the feasibility of compliance with updated codes.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 30, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 30, S.D. 1.

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