Bill Text: HI SB2972 | 2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Disaster Preparedness.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-16 - Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM. [SB2972 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2024-SB2972-Amended.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2972 |
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THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024 |
S.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO DISASTER PREPAREDNESS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii is vulnerable to catastrophic natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, volcanic eruptions, and high winds that can devastate communities. The legislature further finds that global warming is increasing the frequency of these natural disasters, including hurricanes, in the State. Due to warming seas, the spawning area for Pacific hurricanes has moved northward over time. This has caused the paths of hurricanes making their way westward across the Pacific, which used to pass a few hundred miles south of Hawaii, to also move northward, putting Hawaii more directly in that path of hurricanes.
The legislature also finds that the two defenses Hawaii has always had against hurricanes — cooler seas that slow and weaken hurricanes and strong trade winds that tear hurricanes apart — have changed. Hawaii's seas are now warmer and trade winds occur on less than half of the days in a year. Without these defenses, there is nothing to slow or stop hurricanes from a direct hit on Hawaii for a majority of the year.
The legislature additionally finds that global warming is causing stronger hurricanes. The number of category four and five hurricanes worldwide has doubled in the last thirty years and will continue growing. Super category five hurricanes with winds of one hundred seventy miles per hour and greater, which the world sees only every eight years at this time, are expected to occur every year by the end of the century.
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to improve the State's preparedness for stronger hurricanes by requiring all public buildings constructed after January 1, 2025, to be designed to withstand category five hurricanes and be used as shelters in the event of an emergency.
SECTION 2. Section 107-27, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§107-27 Design of state buildings[.];
public buildings. (a)
No later than one year after the adoption of codes or standards pursuant
to section 107-24(c), the design of all state building construction shall be in
compliance with the Hawaii state building codes[, except]; provided
that state building construction [shall be allowed to] may be
exempted from:
(1) County codes that have not adopted the Hawaii state building codes;
(2) Any county code amendments that are inconsistent with the minimum performance objectives of the Hawaii state building codes or the objectives enumerated in this part; or
(3) Any county code amendments that are contrary to code amendments adopted by another county.
(b) Exemptions shall include county ordinances allowing the exercise of indigenous Hawaiian architecture adopted in accordance with section 46-1.55.
[(c) The State shall consider hurricane resistant
criteria when designing and constructing new public schools for the capability
of providing shelter refuge.
(d)] (c) Beginning July 1, 2023, where feasible and
cost-effective, the design of all new state building construction shall:
(1) Maximize energy and water efficiency measures;
(2) Maximize energy generation potential; and
(3) Use building materials that reduce the carbon footprint of the project.
(d) All high-occupancy public buildings constructed after January 1, 2025, shall be designed to withstand category five hurricanes, as determined by wind zone maps, and may be used as shelters in the event of an emergency."
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, 2112.
Report Title:
Public Buildings; High-Occupancy Buildings; Design; Hurricanes; Shelter
Description:
Requires all high-occupancy public buildings constructed after January 1, 2025, to be designed to withstand category five hurricanes, as determined by wind zone maps, and be used as shelters in the event of an emergency. Takes effect 7/1/2112. (SD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
