Bill Text: HI SB1168 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Structural Integrity Assessments.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-27 - Referred to PSM/GVO, WAM/JDC. [SB1168 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2025-SB1168-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
1168 |
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THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to structural integrity assessments.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature recognizes the importance of ensuring the structural integrity of multi-story buildings, especially buildings on or adjacent to shorelines. In 2021, a condominium collapsed in Surfside, Florida, causing the loss of ninety-eight lives. The accident underscored the devastating consequences of structural failures in aging buildings and led Florida to require regular structural integrity assessment inspections. Florida also reserved significant funding to make necessary repairs to the state's older condominium buildings.
The legislature notes that Hawaii has many multi-story structures, including condominiums, apartments, and hotels, located on or adjacent to the State's shorelines. Many of these buildings are more than thirty years old. The coastal environment exposes these buildings to unique stressors, including saltwater corrosion and soil erosion, which can compromise structural integrity over time.
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to protect public safety, mitigate government liability, provide critical data to inform future policy decisions, and preserve property values by requiring the department of accounting and general services to establish a proactive structural integrity assessment program to inspect aging multi-story structures along the State's shorelines, beginning with structures in South Maui and West Maui.
SECTION 2. Chapter 107, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part II to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§107-
Structural integrity
assessment program. (a) There
is established the structural integrity assessment program within the
department of accounting and general services.
The program shall oversee the mandatory inspection of all multi‑story
structures:
(1) Located on beachfront property; and
(2) Constructed before 1995.
(b) All inspections conducted for purposes of the
program shall adhere to a standardized assessment methodology developed by the
department of accounting and general services, in collaboration with the
university of Hawaii and department of land and natural resources.
(c) For each multi-story structure inspected, the
program shall provide:
(1) An initial structural assessment to
identify cracking, settling, or other foundational or structural issues;
(2) A detailed evaluation of
load-bearing components, including beams, columns, walls, and floors;
(3) Other assessments, as needed,
including engineering analyses and environmental assessments;
(4) If applicable, an assessment by the
department of land and natural resources of shoreline conditions that may
contribute to structural vulnerabilities;
(5) Recommendations for any necessary
repairs or further assessments; and
(6) An inspection report for property
owners or associations, identifying findings and timelines for any needed
corrective actions.
(d) All property owners or associations
responsible for properties subject to inspection pursuant to this section
shall:
(1) Allow access to the property for all
needed inspections and assessments; and
(2) Address any identified structural
issues within the timelines specified in the inspection report.
(e) Each county having multi-story structures
that are subject to this section shall:
(1) Facilitate inspections by granting
access to relevant permits and records; and
(2) Assist with outreach to property
owners regarding compliance requirements.
(f) Failure to comply with the provisions of this
section may result in:
(1) Civil penalties of up to $10,000 per
violation;
(2) Suspension of occupancy permits; or
(3) Legal action initiated by the State
or county to enforce compliance.
(g) The department of accounting and general
services shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including
any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to
the convening of each regular session, beginning with the regular session of
2026. The report shall include:
(1) A summary of all inspections
conducted in the previous year, including key findings and trends;
(2) Recommendations for legislative or
regulatory actions necessary to address common structural issues; and
(3) An evaluation of the effectiveness
of the program.
(h) For purposes of this section:
"Beachfront
property" means real estate located on or immediately adjacent to the
shoreline area, as established by the State.
"Multi-story
structure" means a building consisting of three or more stories above the
ground level.
"Program"
means the structural integrity assessment program established in this chapter.
"Structural
issues" means deficiencies or deteriorations in a building's load-bearing
components that compromise the building's safety and stability, including
deficiencies or deteriorations in the building's:
(1) Foundation;
(2) Beams;
(3) Columns;
(4) Walls; or
(5) Floors."
SECTION 3. No later than December 31, 2025, the department of accounting and general services, in collaboration with the university of Hawaii and department of land and natural resources, shall develop and disseminate the standardized assessment methodology required by section 2 of this Act.
SECTION 4. The structural integrity assessment inspections of multi-story structures required by part 2 of this Act shall begin with the inspection of structures in South Maui and West Maui.
SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $500,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the establishment and operations of the structural integrity assessment program established by this Act.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of accounting and general services for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 6. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that part 5 of this Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
DAGS;
DLNR; UH; Structural Integrity; Assessments; Inspections; Report; Appropriation
Description:
Establishes
and appropriates moneys for the development of a structural integrity assessment
program within the Department of Accounting and General Services to inspect
certain multi-story structures. Requires
the Department of Accounting and General Services to develop a standardized
assessment methodology, in collaboration with the University of Hawaii and
Department of Land and Natural Resources, for use in program inspections. Requires the program to begin with
assessments of structures in South Maui and West Maui. Requires annual reports to the Legislature.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
