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HB358
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.B. NO.
358
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating
to disaster preparedness
.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
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SECTION 1.
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The legislature finds that, with warmer seas
caused by climate change, the spawning area for hurricanes near Mexico has
moved north, and now, hurricanes that used to pass a few hundred miles below
Hawaii are headed right at the State.
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Warmer
seas means stronger hurricanes, and categories three, four, and five hurricanes
are increasing in number and strength.
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Super category five hurricanes, with wind speeds of up to two hundred
miles per hour, have been occurring every eight years.
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By 2080, a super category five hurricane will
appear someplace in the world every year, with the northern Pacific, which
includes Hawaii, expected to have the most.
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The
legislature further finds that the State used to be protected by cooler
surrounding seas and by trade winds at a lower level, with strong winds in the
opposite direction at a higher level that could tear approaching hurricanes
apart.
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As those seas have now warmed and
having lost two days of trade winds each year for fifty years, the State now has
protection from hurricanes for only half of the days of the year.
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The also legislature
finds that Hawaii cannot call its places of refuge "hurricane shelters"
because many of the shelters do not meet the criteria of legitimate hurricane
shelters, and few refuge areas in the State are able to withstand even a category
two hurricane.
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In addition, there are
only a few refuge areas in the State, with a capacity to hold up to one hundred
thousand people; however the Honolulu department of emergency management
expects that during a hurricane, the expectation is that two hundred thousand people
will need to seek shelter.
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In
addition, as there are numerous wooden homes in Hawaii, most of these homes will
be damaged or destroyed even in a category one hurricane.
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Very few shelters can withstand a category three,
four, or five hurricane, and if a hurricane strikes the State, there will be no
other place for people to go.
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The
legislature believes that it has a deep moral obligation to the people of the
State and to future generations living in Hawaii to immediately begin to build
every home and every building to withstand future hurricanes.
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Accordingly,
the purpose of this Act is to improve the State's preparedness for stronger
hurricanes by requiring all public buildings, including public school
buildings, constructed after January 1, 2026, to be designed to withstand
category five hurricanes and be used as shelters in the event of an emergency.
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SECTION
2
.
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Section 107-27, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:
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"
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107-27
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Design of [
state
]
public
buildings.
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(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:
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(1)
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County codes that
have not adopted the Hawaii state building codes;
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(2)
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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
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(3)
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Any county code
amendments that are contrary to code amendments adopted by another county.
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(b)
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Exemptions shall include county ordinances allowing the exercise of
indigenous Hawaiian architecture adopted in accordance with section 46-1.55.
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[
(c)
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The State shall consider hurricane resistant
criteria when designing and constructing new public schools for the capability
of providing shelter refuge.
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(d)
]
(c)
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Beginning July 1, 2023, where feasible and
cost-effective, the design of all new state building construction shall:
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(1)
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Maximize energy
and water efficiency measures;
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(2)
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Maximize energy
generation potential; and
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(3)
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Use building materials
that reduce the carbon footprint of the project.
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(d)
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All public buildings, including public school
buildings, constructed after January 1, 2026, shall be designed to withstand
category five hurricanes and be used as shelters in the event of an emergency.
"
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SECTION
3.
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Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
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New statutory
material is underscored.
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SECTION 4.
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This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
INTRODUCED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title:
Public
Buildings; Public Schools Buildings; Design; Hurricanes; Shelter
Description:
Requires
all public buildings, including public school buildings, constructed after
January 1, 2026, to be designed to withstand category five hurricanes and be
used as shelters in the event of an emergency.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.