Bill Text: HI SB762 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Construction Task Force (2010); Permit Processing; Task Force

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-12-01 - Carried over to 2012 Regular Session. [SB762 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-SB762-Amended.html

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STAND. COM. REP. NO. 251

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 762

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Economic Development and Technology and Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs and Water, Land, and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 762 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO STREAMLINING PERMIT, LICENSE, AND APPROVAL APPLICATION PROCESSING,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to streamline portions of the review process for permits, licenses, and approvals to minimize time delays, and to expedite projects by:

 

     (1)  Authorizing counties to contract with a third-party reviewer to streamline construction permit, license, and other application processing; and

 

     (2)  Requiring applications to be deemed approved if the Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources fails to review and comment within sixty days, and after thirty days if agencies fail to establish maximum time periods for permit and other application processing.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Coalition of Hawaii Engineering & Architectural Professionals, Hawaii Laborers' Union, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Palekana Permits, and Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources; Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council; Hawaii Government Employees Association AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO; Sierra Club Hawai‘i Chapter and Moku Loa Group of the Sierra Club; Hawaii's Thousand Friends; Hawaii Audubon Society; Heart of Maui; Livable Hawaii Kai Hui; Legislative Committee of the Society for Hawaiian Archaeology; Three Ring Ranch Exotic Animal Sanctuary; Respiratory & Environmental Disabilities Association of Hawaii; Kennedy/Jenks Consultants; Aloha ‘Aina ‘O Kamilo Nui; BioSystems; Kahea; and one hundred thirty individuals.

 

     Your Committees find that the issue of streamlining the permit, license, and application process in order to expedite construction and other projects has raised grave concerns for all those testifying on this measure.  Your Committees have considered the issues raised in testimony and believe that this measure, as heard, is premature in its response to the problem.

 

     Your Committees further find that a collaborative approach to identify specific problems and recommend related solutions is a more appropriate approach to the overall problem.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure accordingly, by:

 

     (1)  Deleting the statutory provisions related to third-party review of permit, license, and approval processing;

 

     (2)  Establishing a Task Force, attached to the Department of Land and Natural Resources for administrative purposes, to identify the problems and recommend specific solutions to streamline the permit, license, and application process;

 

     (3)  Authorizing the Legislative Reference Bureau to provide assistance to the Task Force in the compilation and publication of the findings and recommendations of the Task Force; and

 

     (4)  Requiring a report to the Legislature prior to the 2012 Regular Session.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Economic Development and Technology and Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs and Water, Land, and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 762, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 762, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Economic Development and Technology and Public Safety, Government Operations, and Military Affairs and Water, Land, and Housing,

 

____________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair		____________________________ CAROL FUKUNAGA, Chair
		____________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair