Title: An act relating to making changes to the factory assembled structures laws administered and enforced by the department of labor and industries.

Brief Description: Making changes to the factory assembled structures laws administered and enforced by the department of labor and industries.

Sponsors: Representatives Wood and Conway; by request of Department of Labor & Industries.

Brief History:

Commerce & Labor: 1/29/08, 2/1/08 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 7 members: Representatives Conway, Chair; Wood, Vice Chair; Condotta, Ranking Minority Member; Crouse, Green, Moeller and Williams.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 1 member: Representative Chandler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member.

Staff: Jill Reinmuth (786-7134).

Background:

The Department of Labor and Industries (Department) is responsible for administering certain laws on factory assembled structures. Related duties include setting fees and adopting rules.

The Department is required to set a fee schedule to cover the costs of administering the laws. Until April 1, 2009, the Department is authorized to adopt a temporary statewide fee schedule that decreases fees for mobile/manufactured home alteration permits and increases fees for factory-built housing and commercial structures plan review and inspection services. Effective April 1, 2009, the Department is required to adopt the fee schedule that was in place prior to the temporary schedule, as adjusted by the fiscal growth factors.

The Department is also required to make rules relating to recreational vehicles and factory-built housing and commercial structures. Rules relating to recreational vehicles must correlate with and conform to the American National Standards Institute standard A119.2 for recreational vehicles. In adopting rules relating to factory built housing and commercial structures, the Department must consider standards and specifications contained in particular codes adopted by the State Building Code Council.

Summary of Substitute Bill:

The Department's duties relating to its administration of certain laws on factory-assembled structures are modified.

The Department continues to be required to set a fee schedule to cover the costs of administering the laws. However, the authority to adopt a temporary statewide fee schedule is deleted. The requirement to adopt the fee schedule that was in place prior to the temporary schedule, as adjusted by the fiscal growth factors, is also deleted.

The Department also continues to be required to make rules relating to recreational vehicles and factory-built housing and commercial structures. However, the rules relating to recreational vehicles must correlate with and conform to National Fire Protection Association 1192 for recreational vehicles (instead of the American National Standards Institute standard A119.2). In adopting the rules relating to factory-built housing and commercial structures, the Department must consider all standards and specifications adopted by the State Building Code Council (instead of standards and specifications in particular codes).

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

References to various standards and specifications are corrected.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) This bill cleans up some language left over from changes made a few years ago. Permit fees for consumers were high and plan review fees were low at that time. The Department of Labor and Industries has changed the fees. Permit fees paid by homeowners are now kept at a minimal level.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Patrick Woods, Pete Schmidt, and S. Dean Simpson, Department of Labor and Industries.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.