Hawaii House Bill HB1720

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/21/26
• Refer: 1/26/26

Caption

Relating To Professional Engineers.

Impact

If enacted, HB1720 would amend Section 464-8 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes to explicitly include code compliance review as valid experience for licensure. This would potentially streamline the path to licensure for engineers working in county planning departments, facilitating career advancement and increasing the pool of qualified professionals. By broadening the definition of acceptably qualified experience, the bill could improve the recruitment and retention of talented engineers in the public sector, ultimately leading to more efficient planning processes.

Summary

House Bill 1720 aims to address the shortage of licensed professional engineers in Hawaii's counties, particularly within planning departments. The bill recognizes that the lengthy plan review periods are partly due to this shortage, and as such, seeks to amend the licensure requirements for professional engineers. This is achieved by allowing county employees engaged in code compliance reviews to count this experience towards the lawful engineering experience necessary for professional licensure. This change is expected to incentivize individuals to seek employment in public sector engineering roles rather than moving to private sector positions where their experience would qualify them for licensure.

Contention

Notable points of contention surrounding HB1720 may arise from concerns over the adequacy of experience provided through code compliance review, reflecting on the technical competencies required of licensed professional engineers. While proponents argue this adjustment is necessary to alleviate the workforce shortages in county planning departments, critics may question whether such changes could dilute the standards for engineering licensure. Balancing the need for qualified engineers with the necessity of maintaining rigorous licensure standards will likely be an ongoing discussion during the legislative process.