Hawai‘i ASLA Advocacy Update

Kyle Sasaki (HASLA Advocacy Representative) has been participating with the AIA Hawai’i State Council on advocacy issues. The Council decided on two talking points to discuss with key local government officials:

• The first talking point concerns maintaining the exemption architects and landscape architects have from competitive price based selection for government work. In lieu of basing award of contact on low pricing, AEs are selected based on who is best qualified.

• The second topic is to support the Building Code and funding of the Building Code Council. A funded State Building Code Council will be better equipped to address pressing needs such as sea-level rise, climate change, energy conservation, and resiliency. Most states fund their building code councils with building permit surcharges.

ZOOM meetings were set up with Rep. Gregg Takayama (Chair, Higher Education and Technology), Rep. Aaron Ling Johanson (Chair, Consumer Protection and Commerce), and Senator Dru Kanuha (Majority Leader of the Senate). They were supportive of the talking points and meetings with additional officials may occur in December.