The bill proposes amendments to the General Laws in Chapter 23-27.3, specifically concerning the "State Building Code." It establishes a new state building code office within the department of business regulation, which includes various entities such as the state building code commissioner, their staff, and various boards and committees. The bill revises the qualifications and duties of the state building code commissioner, notably removing the requirement for the commissioner to serve as the executive secretary to the state building code standards committee and to enforce the code in municipalities without a local official. Additionally, it changes the permit fee structure, increasing fees and detailing the use of the additional revenue for services like electronic plan review and contractor training grants. It also mandates the development of a standard statewide process for electronic plan review and requires annual reports on the status of these implementations.

Furthermore, the bill specifies that the state building code commissioner will enforce the state building code in municipalities lacking local officials and introduces a building code education and training program within the state building code office. This program aims to standardize building code education and training for building officials and inspectors across the state. The bill amends Section 35-4-27 of the General Laws regarding indirect cost recoveries on restricted receipt accounts, setting conditions for transfers to the general fund and exempting certain accounts. It also creates a new "Contractor Training Restricted Receipt Account" within the Department of Labor and Training. The act is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
7983  SUB B: 35-4-27