SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5352
As Passed Senate, February 16, 2002
Title: An act relating to increasing the building code council fee.
Brief Description: Increasing the building code council fee.
Sponsors: Senators Horn and Kline; by request of Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: State & Local Government: 1/29/01, 1/31/01 [DP].
Ways & Means: 2/20/01, 2/21/01 [DP, DNP].
Passed Senate: 3/9/01, 28-19; 2/16/02, 28-21.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Majority Report: Do pass.
Signed by Senators Patterson, Chair; Fairley, Vice Chair; Hale, Haugen, Horn, T. Sheldon and Swecker.
Staff: Eugene Green (786‑7405)
SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS
Majority Report: Do pass.
Signed by Senators Brown, Chair; Constantine, Vice Chair; Fairley, Vice Chair; Fraser, Hewitt, Kline, Kohl‑Welles, Long, Rasmussen, Regala, B. Sheldon, Snyder, Spanel, Thibaudeau and Winsley.
Minority Report: Do not pass.
Signed by Senators Honeyford, Rossi and Zarelli.
Staff: Michael Groesch (786-7434)
Background: The State Building Code Council adopts and maintains the various codes that constitute the State Building Code. Among other responsibilities, the council must approve or deny all county or city amendments to the State Building Code to the extent the amendments apply to single or multifamily (as defined) residential buildings. The council may issue advisory opinions relating to the codes at the request of a local official charged with the duty to enforce the codes.
The State Building Code Council is funded by the imposition of a fee of $4.50 on each building permit issued by a county or a city, plus an additional surcharge of $2 for each residential unit, but not including the first unit, on each building containing more than one residential unit. These moneys are deposited into the State Building Code Council account. This fee has been in effect since 1989.
Summary of Bill: The fee on each building permit issued by a city or county to fund the State Building Code Council is increased to $6.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: Fees were last raised in 1989 and no longer cover expenses. If the fee is not increased, staff will be cut and the council will not be able to update codes on the three‑year cycle. To keep consistency across the state, it is important to keep the state's building codes up to date.
Testimony Against: The council spends too much time and resources dealing with nonessential issues. Public funds are not being well spent by the council.
Testified (State & Local Government): PRO: Tim Clark, Gene Colin, Sue Alden, Building Code Council; Rick Slunaker, Associated General Contractors; Mark Triplett, Washington Association of Building Officials; CON: Larry Stevens, Mech. Contractors Association; CONCERN: Dan Sexton, Washington State Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters.
Testified (Ways & Means): PRO: Gene Colin, Building Code Council; Rick Slunaker, Associated General Contractors; Mark Triplett, Washington Association of Building Officials; CON: Larry Stevens, Mech. Contractors Association.