PDFWAC 51-04-020

Policies for the consideration of proposed statewide amendments.

(1) The council will accept and consider petitions for emergency statewide amendments to the building code at any time, in accordance with RCW 19.27.074 and chapter 34.05 RCW. The council will accept and consider all petitions for statewide amendments that meet the complete application requirements as set by the council in conjunction with the state building code update cycle, in accordance with RCW 19.27.074 and chapter 34.05 RCW, and WAC 51-04-015 and 51-04-020 as follows:
(a) For the purpose of review and adoption of new model code editions and statewide amendment submission, the state building code shall be divided into two groups as follows, unless otherwise directed by the council:
(i) Group 1: International Building Code (IBC); International Existing Building Code (IEBC); International Fire Code (IFC) Washington state energy code-commercial (WSEC-C) and Wildland Urban Interface Code (WUI).
(ii) Group 2: International Residential Code (IRC); International Mechanical Code (IMC); International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC); standards liquefied petroleum gas are National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards 58 and 54; Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC); Washington state energy code-residential (WSEC-R).
(b) The adoption period of new model codes commences when new editions of the model codes are available to the public. Within sixty days, the council shall publish a timeline to include a report of significant model code amendments and applicability of existing state amendments, followed by a submission period for new proposed statewide amendments.
(i) The council shall review Group 1 model codes and approve a report on significant changes and applicability of existing state amendments. The Group 1 report shall be posted on the council website and a submission period of at least sixty calendar days shall be allowed for new proposed statewide amendments.
(ii) Upon completion of the Group 1, public meetings, council actions and posting of the actions on the state building code council's website and provided new editions of Group 2 model codes are available to the public, the council shall review the Group 2 codes and approve a report on significant changes and applicability of existing state amendments. The Group 2 report shall be posted on the state building code council's website and a submission period of at least sixty calendar days shall be allowed for new proposed statewide amendments
(2) The council shall review proposed new statewide amendments, and approve those meeting the appropriate criteria to file as proposed rules in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW. The proposed rules filing shall include a small business economic impact statement in accordance with chapter 19.85 RCW.
(3) The council shall conduct at least two public hearings for each group (one in western Washington and one in eastern Washington) following the filing of the proposed rules with the code reviser's office.
(4) Amendments to Group 1 codes during the Group 2 adoption shall be limited to legislative direction, code correlation, correction of errors, language clarification and updated section references.
(5) The code development period shall conclude with formal adoption of the state building code as amended by the council. As required by RCW 19.27.074, all decisions to adopt or amend the state building code shall be made prior to December 1st and shall not take effect before the end of the regular legislative session in the next year. Group 1 and 2 codes shall be filed with the code reviser at the same time.
(6) State amendments as approved by the council shall be submitted to the appropriate model code organization, at the direction of the council, except those adopted for consistency with state statutes or regulation and held for further review during the adoption period of those model codes by the council. The effective date of any statewide amendments shall be the same as the effective date of the new edition of the model codes, except for emergency amendments adopted in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW and deemed appropriate by the council.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.031 and 19.27.074. WSR 19-24-078, § 51-04-020, filed 12/2/19, effective 1/2/20. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.031, 19.27.074 and 19.27.035. WSR 17-03-123, § 51-04-020, filed 1/18/17, effective 2/18/17. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.035, 19.27.074 and chapters 19.27 and 34.05 RCW. WSR 07-15-043, § 51-04-020, filed 7/13/07, effective 8/13/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.190, 19.27.020, and chapters 19.27 and 34.05 RCW. WSR 05-23-104, § 51-04-020, filed 11/17/05, effective 1/1/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.031 and 19.27.074. WSR 04-01-107, § 51-04-020, filed 12/17/03, effective 7/1/04. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.035 and chapter 34.05 RCW. WSR 94-05-058, § 51-04-020, filed 2/10/94, effective 3/13/94. Statutory Authority: Chapters 19.27 and 34.05 RCW and 1989 c 348. WSR 90-02-108, § 51-04-020, filed 1/3/90, effective 2/3/90; Order 76-02, § 51-04-020, filed 9/1/76.]