SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5466

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

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 6, 1989; February 14, 1989

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators McCaslin, Chairman; DeJarnatt, Sutherland.

Senate Staff:Desley Brooks (786-7443)

                  April 13, 1989

House Committe on Housing

AS PASSED SENATE, MARCH 8, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Prior to 1985, the duties of the State Fire Marshal were performed by the Insurance Commissioner, including building inspections.  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 authority that requires an employee of the office of the Insurance Commissioner to be on the State Building Code Council is eliminated.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      none requested

Senate Committee - Testified: Tom Mortimer, Washington PUD Association (pro); Otto Jensen, Washington State Association of Fire Chiefs (pro); Roger Polzin, Insurance Commissioner's office (pro)

HOUSE AMENDMENT:

The 1955 statutes requiring counties to issue building permits is repealed.  Counties, cities, and towns are required to 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 county assessor of the county in which the property subject 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 still meet the standards of the State Building Code.

Counties, cities, and towns are required to submit, every month, 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.