This bill aims to enhance the use of New Hampshire-grown spruce-pine-fir (SPF) lumber by amending the state building code to include spruce-pine-fir-south (SPFS) lumber as equivalent to SPF lumber. The legislation recognizes that much of the structural timber harvested in New Hampshire, particularly from Coos County, is comparable in quality to Canadian SPF lumber, which is often viewed as superior due to its international grading standards. The bill seeks to eliminate the existing barriers that disadvantage New Hampshire's lumber industry by allowing SPFS lumber, when graded appropriately, to be accepted wherever SPF is specified in construction documents.

The new legal language inserted into RSA 155-A includes provisions that specify the acceptance of SPFS lumber graded by permitted graders or accredited agencies as equivalent to SPF lumber. It also outlines that structural design and inspection must utilize published SPFS design values, and municipalities are required to accept native lumber certificates or ALSC grade stamps as proof of grade. Additionally, the bill allows licensed architects and engineers to specify higher strength materials if necessary for safety, while ensuring that the use of SPF lumber graded by accredited agencies remains permissible. The act is set to take effect 180 days after its passage.