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HB415
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H.B. NO.
415
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating
to Public Safety
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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 Act 53, Session Laws of Hawaii 2017, extended the prohibition on
counties from requiring the installation or retrofitting of automatic fire
sprinklers or automatic fire sprinkler systems in new or existing detached
residential one- and two-family dwelling units and nonresidential agricultural
and aquacultural buildings and structures located outside of urban areas.
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Because of their reliability and
effectiveness in suppressing a fire in its initial stages, national residential
building codes have required residential fire sprinklers since 2009.
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The legislature believes that prohibiting
measures to improve and enhance fire survivability and reduce fire losses of
community residents by eighty per cent, which may be considered and adopted at
the local level, presents a needless risk to public fire safety.
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Further, residential fire sprinklers greatly
reduce the spread of fire, thereby significantly lessening property damage and
loss.
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The legislature further finds that the
intensity, severity, and spread of fire in residential buildings are directly
related to the contents and furnishings inside.
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Although improvements have been made in building construction, design,
and materials, the volatility and toxicity of today's synthetic materials cause
untenable conditions to be reached more rapidly.
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The legislature recognizes that the
counties face unique challenges and issues relating to fire protection,
including population density, proximity of structures, infrastructure, access,
and limited fire protection resources.
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Therefore, this Act recognizes and establishes individual county
authority.
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The legislature notes that, according to a
report by the National Fire Protection Association's Fire Sprinkler Initiative,
twenty states currently allow counties to adopt codes that require installation
and retrofitting of fire sprinklers in residential family units.
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The legislature also finds that the state
building code council is responsible for adopting, amending, and updating
building codes and standards in the State.
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In 2024, the state building code council adopted the state residential
code, which requires all state construction of new one- and two-family
dwellings to install residential fire sprinklers.
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The 2024 international residential code, made
part of the state building code, requires automatic sprinkler systems to be
installed in newly constructed residential dwelling units.
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Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
amend Act 83, Session laws of Hawaii 2012, to repeal section 46-19.8, Hawaii
Revised Statutes, on June 30, 2025.
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SECTION 2.
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Act 83, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, as amended by section 1 of Act 53,
Session Laws of Hawaii 2017, is amended by amending section 3 to read as
follows:
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"SECTION 3.
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This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2012;
provided that on June 30, [
2027,
]
2025,
this Act shall be
repealed."
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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 on June 29, 2025.
INTRODUCED BY:
_____________________________
By Request
Report Title:
State
Fire Council Package; Public Safety; Fire Sprinklers; Counties; Residences
Description:
Amends
the sunset date of Act 83, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, to repeal section
46-19.8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, on June 29, 2025.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.