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.
SCR48 is a Senate Concurrent Resolution that urges the Governor, the State Building Code Council, county building departments, county mayors, and the chairs of the House and Senate housing committees to work together on a comprehensive strategy for adopting updated building codes statewide. The resolution frames the issue as one of public safety, construction clarity, and resilience in the face of increasingly frequent natural disasters. It specifically points to the need to modernize codes so they better fit Hawaii’s local conditions and reflect current best practices.
The resolution explains that recent housing-related proclamations, intended to speed construction, have had the unintended effect of suspending normal code-setting processes and leaving contractors with unclear or mismatched directives. It notes that some unamended International Code Council provisions are not relevant to Hawaii, such as snow-related standards, and argues that the State needs amended, updated codes that comply with national standards while remaining workable for local projects. The requested strategy is to be developed through stakeholder engagement and to address whether compliance with updated codes is feasible.
SCR48 does not change statutory law by itself, but it seeks coordinated executive, legislative, and county action to accelerate adoption of updated building codes across Hawaii. If acted on, it could influence how the State Building Code Council and county building departments update and implement construction standards, affecting contractors, developers, permitting processes, and housing projects. The resolution also signals a policy direction toward aligning Hawaii’s codes with current national standards while tailoring them to local conditions and safety needs.
The overall sentiment around the bill appears supportive and pragmatic. The measure passed the Senate Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs Committee with amendments by a 3-2 vote, suggesting there was general agreement on the need to address code confusion and update the system, but also some reservations about the approach or scope. The bill’s tone is focused on safety, clarity, and coordination rather than controversy, and the available record does not show floor debate or public testimony in the provided materials.
The main point of contention is the effect of the Governor’s housing-related proclamations on the building code process. Supporters of the resolution argue that the proclamations created uncertainty by suspending the normal code update process and allowing counties not to follow the 2021 code, which they say leaves contractors without clear guidance and could threaten safety. Any opposition appears to center on whether the resolution’s approach is the best way to balance faster housing construction with code compliance, and on the feasibility of quickly adopting updated codes across multiple levels of government.