FINAL BILL REPORT

SB 5466

                              C 246 L 89

BYSenators McCaslin, DeJarnatt and Thorsness; by request of Insurance Commissioner

Removing an employee of the insurance commissioner from the building code council.

Senate Committee on Governmental Operations

House Committe on Housing

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

Prior to 1985 the duties of the State Fire Marshal, including building inspections, were performed by the Insurance Commissioner.  In 1985 the Legislature transferred the duties of the State Fire Marshal to a newly created State Fire Protection Board, which in 1986 became part of the Department of Community Development.

It has been suggested that the statutory requirement that an employee of the office of the Insurance Commissioner be on the State Building Code Council should be eliminated since the commissioner's office no longer has the responsibility to conduct building inspections.

SUMMARY:

The requirement that an employee of the office of the Insurance Commissioner be on the State Building Code Council is eliminated.

The 1955 statutes requiring counties to issue building permits is repealed.  Counties, cities, and towns must transmit a copy of any permit issued under the State Building Code Act, where the cost of fair market value of the construction or alteration exceeds $500, to the assessor of the county in which the property is located.  The building permit must contain the county assessor's parcel number.

The State Building Code Council is directed to adopt guidelines, by rule, establishing the type of construction or alteration work on single family residential or agricultural buildings that can be exempt from the permit requirements of counties, cities, and towns.

After June 30, 1990, counties, cities, and towns are authorized to exempt from the requirement to obtain a building permit, certain construction or alteration work on either single family residential or agricultural buildings or both.  The permit exemption must be approved by a resolution or ordinance of the county, city, or town.  The exemption is limited to activity where the total cost or fair market value of the construction or alteration work does not exceed $1,500.  The construction or alteration work must meet the standards of the State Building Code.

Every month counties, cities, and towns are required to submit a copy of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census' Report of Building or Zoning Permit Issued and Local Public Construction to the Department of Community Development.

The State Building Code Council's ex officio nonvoting membership is revised.  The representative from the Insurance Commissioner's Office is removed from the State Building Code Council.  In addition, two members of the House of Representatives, one from each caucus and two members from the Senate, one from each caucus, are appointed to the State Building Code Council as ex officio nonvoting members.

Any county of the seventh class that had in effect on July 1, 1985, an ordinance or resolution authorizing and regulating the construction of owner-built residences may reenact such an ordinance or resolution if the ordinance or resolution is reenacted before September 30, 1989.  After reenactment, the county shall transmit a copy of the ordinance or resolution to the State Building Code Council.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

     Senate   46    0

     House 96  0 (House amended)

     Senate   45    2 (Senate concurred)

EFFECTIVE:July 23, 1989