Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: 2SSB 6168 directs the Department of Health to adopt rules for temporary worker housing building codes, plan review, building permits, inspections and fees.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The department is directed by the legislature to adopt rules for the temporary worker housing building codes, the permit process for such codes, plan reviews and fees. All of these rules are to be completed by December 31, 1998. Temporary worker housing operators who follow the building code as adopted by the Department of Health will be exempted from the uniform building codes. It is expected that the different standards will result in lower building costs which will result in increased building of housing for temporary use.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: Department of Labor and Industries, Building Code Council, and local building officials regulate either temporary worker housing or the building code itself. The department worked with contacts of each group throughout the 1998 legislative session and will continue to include each group in the rule-writing process.

Process for Developing New Rule: A draft of the rule will be developed with stakeholders including licensees, building officials and Department of Labor and Industries representatives. The draft will then be used in community work sessions to develop the final proposed rule.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. If interested in participating in community work sessions, contact Jennell Prentice, Rules Coordinator, Facilities and Services Licensing, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone (360) 705-6661, FAX (360) 705-6654, e-mail JZP0303@hub.doh.wa.gov.

April 30, 1998

Bruce Miyahara

Secretary