Bill Text: HI SB1645 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: State Building Code; Bamboo

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [SB1645 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-SB1645-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 742

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1645

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred S.B. No. 1645 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require the State Building Code Council to adopt standards to allow the use of bamboo as an accepted construction material under the State Building Code.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by Bamboo Village Hawaii, True Offsets, and six private citizens.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Accounting and General Services.  Written testimony presented to your Committee may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committee finds that it is advisable to develop criteria and standards for the use of bamboo as a construction material in Hawaii in order to expedite its use for sustainable building in Hawaii, encourage diversified agriculture in the islands, and strategically position the State for regional, national, or international greenhouse gas offsetting and the carbon credit trading markets.

 

     Your Committee further finds that there is one species of bamboo that has gone through the rigorous process of testing and review to obtain International Code Council certification.  However, certain other species of locally-grown bamboo could be utilized as construction materials without requiring or waiting for private individuals or organizations to pay for the expensive testing process. 

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Adding a purpose section;

 

     (2)  Replacing the provision directing the State Building Code Council to establish standards and criteria with a provision directing the State Building Code Council to review studies and structural tests regarding bamboo use and to recommend standards and criteria for use of bamboo as a construction material; and

 

     (3)  Directing the State Building Code Council to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2011.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1645, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1645, S.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

 

		____________________________ ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair