HB745 • 2026

RELATING TO BUILDING CODES.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: EVSLIN, MIYAKE
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how existing buildings will be affected by this change.

Building Codes in Hawaii

This bill changes how counties in Hawaii can adopt and amend building codes, making the state's building codes the main rules starting January 1, 2028.

What This Bill Does

Makes the most recent Hawaii State Building Codes adopted by the council the primary rules for construction across all of Hawaii from January 1, 2028.
Allows counties to remove or add requirements to the state's building codes after getting permission from the state council.

Who It Names or Affects

Counties in Hawaii
Builders and developers who follow construction rules

Terms To Know

Hawaii State Building Codes: The set of rules that guide how buildings are constructed in Hawaii.
County building codes: Rules for building construction specific to each county in Hawaii before the state's codes became primary.

Limits and Unknowns

It is unclear how this change will affect existing buildings and structures built under previous county rules.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment changes how Hawaii's state building codes are adopted and enforced, making the statewide codes supersede county-specific codes once certain conditions are met.

The amendment establishes that when the International Code Council 2024 suite of published codes is adopted as the Hawaii State Building Codes, all existing county building codes will be replaced by these new state-level codes.
Counties can still make changes to the state building codes within their own areas after this adoption, but they no longer have the authority to adopt or amend the codes independently without council approval.

The amendment specifies an effective date of January 1, 3000, which seems unrealistic and might indicate a placeholder for future implementation.
It is unclear how this change will be implemented in practice given the long-term effective date specified.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-14 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Belatti, Kapela, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Matsumoto, Perruso, Shimizu, Souza voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran, Matayoshi, Poepoe, Ward excused (4).
2025-02-14 H
Reported from JHA (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 740), recommending referral to FIN.
2025-02-11 H
The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Kahaloa, Todd; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Belatti, Perruso, Takayama, Garcia, Shimizu; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, Hashem.
2025-02-07 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by JHA on Tuesday, 02-11-25 2:00PM in House conference room 325 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-02-06 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and Representative(s) Ward excused (1).
2025-02-06 H
Reported from HSG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 219) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2025-02-05 H
The committee on HSG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 6 Ayes: Representative(s) Evslin, Miyake, Kila, Kitagawa, Muraoka; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Grandinetti; Noes: none; and 3 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran, La Chica, Pierick.
2025-01-31 H
Bill scheduled for decision making on Wednesday, 02-05-25 9:00AM in conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-31 H
The committee(s) on HSG recommend(s) that the measure be deferred until 02-05-25.
2025-01-28 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HSG on Friday, 01-31-25 9:15AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to HSG, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 2
2025-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-17 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO BUILDING CODES.
Hawaii State Building Code; Counties; Amendments
Beginning on the date the International Code Council 2024 suite of published codes is adopted as the Hawaii state building code, makes the most recent Hawaii state building codes adopted by the state building code council supersede all existing county building codes and thereafter allows counties to amend the Hawaii state building code as it applies within their jurisdiction. Repeals the counties' authority to adopt, amend, and update the Hawaii state building codes for their respective county building codes. Effective 1/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB745

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

745

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to building codes
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

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SECTION
1
.
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Section 107-25,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

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"
�107-25
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Hawaii state building
codes; requirements.
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(a)

There is established the Hawaii state building codes applicable to
all construction in the State of Hawaii.
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The Hawaii state building codes shall be based upon:

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(1)
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The state fire
code as adopted by the state fire council;

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(2)
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The Uniform
Plumbing Code, as copyrighted and published by the International Association of
Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, including its appendices;

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(3)
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The International
Building Code, the International Residential Code, and the International Energy
Conservation Code, as published by the International Code Council;

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(4)
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The National
Electrical Code, as published by the National Fire Protection Association;

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(5)
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Hawaii design
standards implementing the criteria pursuant to Act 5, Special Session Laws of
Hawaii, 2005, as applicable to:

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(A)
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Emergency shelters
built to comply with hurricane resistant criteria, including enhanced hurricane
protection areas capable of withstanding a five hundred-year hurricane event as
well as other storms and natural hazards; and

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(B)
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Essential
government facilities requiring continuity of operations; and

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(6)
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Code provisions
based on nationally published codes or standards that include but are not
limited to residential and hurricane resistant standards related to loss
mitigation standards in accordance with section 431P-12, elevator, mechanical,
flood and tsunami, existing buildings, and onsite sewage disposal.

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(b)
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Beginning January 1, 2028, all existing
county building codes shall be superseded by the most recent Hawaii state
building codes adopted by the council pursuant to section 107-24.
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Thereafter, each county may amend the Hawaii
state building codes as they apply within its own jurisdiction by:

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(1)
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Removing requirements
set by the Hawaii state building codes; or

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(2)
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Only after
receiving approval by an affirmative vote of the majority of its council, adding
requirements to the Hawaii state building codes.
"

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SECTION
2
.
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Section 107-28,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

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["
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107-28
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County authority to amend and adopt the
Hawaii state building codes without council approval.
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(a)
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The governing body of each county shall
amend, adopt, and update the Hawaii state building codes as they apply within
their respective jurisdiction, in accordance with section 46-1.5(13), without
approval of the council.
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Each county
shall amend and adopt the Hawaii state building codes and standards listed in
section 107-25, as the referenced Hawaii state building codes and standards for
its respective county building code ordinance, no later than two years after
the adoption of the Hawaii state building codes.

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(b)
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If a county does not amend the Hawaii state
building codes within the two-year time frame, the Hawaii state building codes
shall become applicable as an interim county building code.
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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 January 1, 2028.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Hawaii
State Building Code; Counties; Amendments

Description:

Beginning
1/1/2028, makes the most recent Hawaii state building codes adopted by the
state building code council supersede all existing county building codes and
thereafter allows counties to remove requirements of the state building codes or
add requirements to the state building codes only with prior council approval.
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Repeals the counties' authority to
adopt, amend, and update the Hawaii state building codes for their respective
county building codes.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.