House Bill Analysis

SB 5575

Title:  AN ACT Relating to membership on the state building code council.

Brief Description:  Adding an ex officio member to the building code council.

Sponsor:  Senators Hagen and Johnson.

Brief Summary

CAdds the state director of fire protection as a non-voting member of the state building code council.

House State Government Committee

Staff: Steve Lundin  (786-7127).

Background:

The state building code council is a fifteen-member body that also includes five non-voting members.  Among other responsibilities, the state building code council adopts various uniform codes, including the uniform building code, mechanical code, fire code, and plumbing code, and develops and adopts other codes relating to buildings, as directed by the legislature.  Counties and cities enforce these codes.  Counties and cities may amend the uniform codes if the amendments do not result in a code that is less than the minimum performance standards and objectives contained in the uniform codes.  However, amendments to these uniform codes that apply to single family or multifamily residential dwellings are not effective unless approved by the state building code council.

The 15 voting members of the state building code council members are appointed by the governor as follows: (1) Two members must be county elected officials; (2) two members must be city elected legislative body members; (3) one local government building code official; (4) one local government fire service official; (5) one representative of general construction, specializing in commercial and industrial building construction; (6) one representative of general construction, specializing in residential and multifamily building construction; (7) one representative of the architectural design profession; (8) one representative of the structural engineering profession; (9) one representative of the mechanical engineering profession; (10) one representative of the building construction trades; (11) one representative of manufactures, installers, or suppliers of building materials and components; (12) one representative of the disability community; and (13) one member of the general public.

The five non-voting members of the state building code council are as follows:  (1) two members of the house of representatives, one from each caucus, who are appointed by the speaker of the house; (2) two senators, one from each caucus, who are appointed by the president of the senate; and (3) an employee of the electrical division of the department of labor and industries.

Summary:

The state director of fire protection is added as an additional non-voting member of the state building code council.

Rule Making Authority: No express authority.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date of Bill: Ninety days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is enacted.