(1) The state building code council shall:
(a) Adopt and maintain the codes to which reference is made in RCW
19.27.031 in a status which is consistent with the state's interest as set forth in RCW
19.27.020. In maintaining these codes, the council shall regularly review updated versions of the codes referred to in RCW
19.27.031 and other pertinent information and shall amend the codes as deemed appropriate by the council;
(b) Approve or deny all county or city amendments to any code referred to in RCW
19.27.031 to the degree the amendments apply to single-family or multifamily residential buildings;
(c) As required by the legislature, develop and adopt any codes relating to buildings; and
(d) Approve a proposed budget for the operation of the state building code council to be submitted by the department of enterprise services to the office of financial management pursuant to RCW
43.88.090.
(2) The state building code council may:
(a) Appoint technical advisory committees which may include members of the council;
(b) Approve contracts for services; and
(c) Conduct research into matters relating to any code or codes referred to in RCW
19.27.031 or any related matter.
(3) The department of enterprise services, with the advice and input from the members of the building code council, shall:
(a) Employ permanent and temporary staff and contract for services;
(b) Contract with an independent, third-party entity to perform a Washington energy code baseline economic analysis and economic analysis of code proposals; and
(c) Provide all administrative and information technology services required for the building code council.
(4) Rule-making authority as authorized in this chapter resides within the building code council.
(5)(a) All meetings of the state building code council shall be open to the public under the open public meetings act, chapter
42.30 RCW. All actions of the state building code council which adopt or amend any code of statewide applicability shall be pursuant to the administrative procedure act, chapter
34.05 RCW.
(b) All council decisions relating to the codes enumerated in RCW
19.27.031 shall require approval by at least a majority of the members of the council.
(c) All decisions to adopt or amend codes of statewide application shall be made prior to December 1 of any year and shall not take effect before the end of the regular legislative session in the next year.