RELATING TO STATE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.

SB2064

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2064

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to State construction projects
.

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

PART I

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SECTION 1.
�

The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to be appropriately
designated and to read as follows:

"
Chapter

state
architect

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� -1
�
Definitions.
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As used in this chapter:

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"State
agency" means any office, department, board, commission, bureau, division,
public corporation, agency, or instrumentality of the State.

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"State
lands" means all land owned by the State through any state agency.

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� -2
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State architect; office established;
appointment, tenure, removal; requirements; salary.
�
(a)
�
There is established within the department of
accounting and general services the office of the state architect, which shall
be headed by a full-time state architect appointed by the governor pursuant to
section 26-34.
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The state
architect shall report to the comptroller.

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(b)
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No person shall be eligible for the position
of state architect who has not held,
for at least five years immediately
preceding the date of appointment, a valid license pursuant to chapter 464.

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(c)
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The state architect shall not engage in the
private practice of professional architecture or act in a managing capacity in
any private business or enterprise.

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(d)
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The salary of the state architect shall be
established by the governor.

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� -3
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Duties and responsibilities.
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The
state architect shall have general charge and oversight of the design review of
all state construction projects.
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The
state architect shall:

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(1)
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Review
all plans, drawings, specifications, and any other documents necessary for
state construction projects;

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(2)
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Ensure
conformance with all applicable building codes and county, national, or
international prescriptive construction standards, including construction,
electrical, energy conservation, plumbing, and sidewalk standards;

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(3)
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Issue design approvals for traditional design‑bid‑build
state construction projects awarded by competitive sealed bidding pursuant to
section 103D‑302, before the projects commence
; provided that no
design approvals shall be required for:

���������
(A)
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Design-build
projects, as defined in section 103D-104; and

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(B)
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Public-private
partnership projects; and

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(4)
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Assign
an inspector to each state construction project for the purpose of observing
the work of construction.

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� -4
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Assistance and staff.

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The state architect may employ or contract
with qualified architects and engineers as necessary, without regard to chapter
76, to carry out the duties and responsibilities established by this chapter.

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� -5
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Costs for services; fees.
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The cost of all design review services
performed by the office of the state architect for a state agency shall be
determined by the state architect.
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In
addition, the state architect may set, charge, and collect reasonable fees,
without regard to chapter 91, in an amount sufficient to defray the cost of
processing design approvals.
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All
payments shall be deposited into the general fund.

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� -6
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Administrative rules.
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No
later than December 31, 2026, the comptroller, in consultation with the state
architect, shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to effectuate the purposes
of this chapter.

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� -7
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Annual report.
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The state architect shall
prepare and submit an annual report to the governor and
legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular
session
.
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The report shall include

a summary describing the activities of the office of the state architect,
including a list and description of each state construction project reviewed or
that received a design approval during the preceding fiscal year."

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SECTION
2
.
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Section 26-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

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"
(b)
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The department shall:

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(1)
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Preaudit and conduct
after-the-fact audits of the financial accounts of all state departments to
determine the legality of expenditures and the accuracy of accounts;

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(2)
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Report to the governor and
to each regular session of the legislature as to the finances of each
department of the State;

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(3)
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Administer the state risk
management program;

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(4)
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Establish and manage motor
pools;

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(5)
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Manage the preservation and
disposal of all records of the State;

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(6)
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Undertake the program of
centralized engineering and office leasing services, including operation and
maintenance and lease buyback processing pursuant to subsection (d) of public
buildings, for departments of the State;

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(7)
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Undertake the functions of
the state surveyor;

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(8)
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Establish accounting and
internal control systems;

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(9)
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Have the discretion to
employ persons within the comptroller's office who shall be exempt from
chapters 76 and 89 in support of communications, change management, and
business process improvement programs as part of the State's information
technology modernization efforts; provided that the persons shall be members of
the state employees' retirement system and shall be eligible to receive the
benefits of any state employee benefit program generally applicable to officers
and employees of the State;

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(10)
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Provide
centralized computer information management and processing services through the
chief information officer;

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(11)
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Establish
a program to provide a means for public access to public information and
develop an information network for state government;

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(12)
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Assume
administrative responsibility for the office of information practices; [
and
]

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(13)
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Approve
state fleet acquisitions; provided that:

���������
(A)
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Beginning January 1, 2022, all new
light-duty motor vehicles that are passenger cars purchased for the State's
fleet shall be zero-emission vehicles;

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(B)
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Beginning as soon as practicable but no
later than January 1, 2030, all new light-duty motor vehicles that are
multipurpose passenger vehicles and trucks for the State's fleet shall be zero‑emission
vehicles; and

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(C)
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The comptroller may authorize an
exemption for new fleet vehicle purchases if zero-emission vehicles are
demonstrated to be cost-prohibitive on a lifecycle basis or unsuitable for the
vehicles' planned purpose, or if funds are unavailable[
.
]
; and

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(14)
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Oversee
design review services for state construction projects and issue certain design
approvals through the state architect.

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For
the purposes of this subsection:

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"Light-duty
motor vehicle" has the same meaning as defined in title 10 Code of Federal
Regulations part 490.

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"Multipurpose
passenger vehicle" has the same meaning as defined in title 49 Code of
Federal Regulations section 571.3.

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"Passenger
car" has the same meaning as defined in title 49 Code of Federal
Regulations section 571.3.

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"Truck"
has the same meaning as defined in title 49 Code of Federal Regulations section
571.3.

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"Zero-emission
vehicle" has the same meaning as specified in title 40 Code of Federal
Regulations section 88.1."

PART II

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SECTION 3.
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There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii
the sum of $
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�
or so much thereof as may be necessary for
fiscal year 2026-2027 for:

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(1)
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The establishment of:

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(A)
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One full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) state
architect position pursuant to section 1 of this Act; and

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(B)
�
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full-time equivalent
( FTE) positions within the office of the state
architect, for the administration and implementation of this Act;

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(2)
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A
study by the comptroller examining potential strategies and actions for the
State to streamline county permitting processes for efficient review and
approval of state construction projects, including the feasibility of appropriating
state funding for county positions dedicated exclusively to the permitting of
State construction projects; and

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(3)
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Any
other associated administrative costs necessary to effectuate the purposes of
this Act.

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The sum appropriated shall be expended by
the department of accounting and general services for the purposes of this Act;
provided that no sum shall be expended prior to the adoption of an amended or
updated state building code by the state building code council pursuant to
section 107-24, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

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SECTION 4.
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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 5.
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This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Governor;
DAGS; Office of the State Architect; State Architect; State Construction
Projects; Design Approvals; Design Review; Report; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes
within the Department of Accounting and General Services the Office of the
State Architect, directed by a State Architect appointed by the Governor.
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Requires the State Architect to organize,
manage, and oversee the design review of all state construction projects and
issue design approvals for traditional design-bid-build state construction
projects.
�
Requires an annual report to
the Governor and Legislature.
�
Authorizes
the Department of Accounting and General Services to oversee design review
services for state construction projects and issue certain design approvals
through the State Architect.
�

Appropriates moneys.
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Effective
7/1/2050.

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