Bill Text: HI HB2553 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Persons with Disabilities; Disability and Communication Access Board; Fees

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2012-07-10 - (S) Act 277, 7/6/2012 (Gov. Msg. No. 1380). [HB2553 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-HB2553-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3289

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 2553

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2553, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO BUILDING DESIGN FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require the Disability and Communication Access Board to charge review fees to defray all or a portion of costs associated with providing review and recommendations services on project plans.

 

     This measure also requires the Board to annually report to the Legislature the number of plans reviewed and the amount of the review fees collected.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from City and County of Honolulu-Department of Design and Construction and Complete Construction Services.

 

Your Committee finds that disabled access requirements are not uniformly understood in the architectural, engineering, and design community.  The Disability and Communication Access Board provides a valuable resource by reviewing and making recommendations on project plans and specifications for public buildings and facilities, thereby reducing the likelihood of remediation and litigation.

 

Your Committee finds it appropriate that expenses of the Disability and Communication Access Board's services be incorporated into the costs of the projects instead of being borne by the general fund.  Requiring the Board to charge review fees will help ensure that at least a portion of the review process costs are incurred by the entities benefiting from the Board's review services.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by

 

(1)  Clarifying that all fees referenced in section 103-50, Hawaii Revised Statutes, are review fees;

 

(2)  Clarifying that review fees charged by the Disability and Communication Access Board are for services rendered pursuant to section 348F-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

 

(3)  Clarifying the reference to "infrastructure project"; and

 

(4)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of style, clarity, and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2553, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2553, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

		____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair