Bill > SB698

This bill requires all newly constructed single-family homes and apartment buildings in Hawaii to be built with enhanced hurricane protection based on their geographical wind level, in response to increasing hurricane risks due to climate change. Specifically, buildings located in areas with wind speeds up to 130 miles per hour must be constructed to withstand at least a category three hurricane and include a residential safe room with an attached bathroom, while buildings in areas with wind speeds of 140 miles per hour or higher must be built to withstand at least a category five hurricane with the same safe room requirements. The bill defines key terms like "apartment building" using the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale and restricts counties from modifying state building codes in ways that would conflict with these new hurricane protection standards. The legislature's findings highlight the increasing vulnerability of Hawaii to hurricanes, noting that ocean temperatures are rising, tradewinds are decreasing, and most of the state's approximately 187,000 wooden homes would be damaged or destroyed in even a category one hurricane. The new building requirements will take effect on January 1, 2026, and aim to provide more resilient housing that can serve as refuge during extreme weather events.

Government Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=698&year=2026