31 This bill is reported out by the Joint Standing Committee on Housing and Economic
32 Development pursuant to Resolve 2025, chapter 64. The bill implements the
33 recommendations of the working group to address regulatory barriers to housing
34 construction by:
1. Adding the International Code Council and Modular Building Institute 1200-2021 Standard for Off-site Construction: Planning, Design, Fabrication and Assembly to the list of codes that make up the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code;
2. Establishing consistency for when updates to the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code and other similar codes go into effect;
3. Amending the training requirements for code enforcement officers to include training on industrialized housing;
4. Directing the Maine Office of Community Affairs, through the Housing Opportunity Program, to conduct a 3-year pilot project to promote, incentivize and support the adoption of regionalized approaches to code enforcement by municipalities; and
5. Increasing from 4¢ to 6¢ per square foot the surcharge on the plan review fee. The surcharge is deposited into the Uniform Building Codes and Standards Fund. The joint standing committee has not taken a position on the substance of this bill. By reporting this bill out, the committee is not suggesting and does not intend to suggest that it agrees or disagrees with any aspect of this bill. The committee is reporting the bill out for the sole purpose of having a bill printed that can be referred to the committee for an appropriate public hearing and subsequent processing in the normal course. The committee is taking this action to ensure clarity and transparency in the legislative review of the proposals contained in the bill.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 2225, SP 908: 10.9722, 25.2450, 30-A.4451