The bill amends Chapter 23-27.3 of the General Laws, which governs the State Building Code, by establishing a building code standards committee consisting of twenty-five members appointed by the governor with senate approval. Members must have at least five years of relevant experience, and a quorum is defined as a majority of the members. The committee is authorized to adopt rules for its procedures and will also oversee a new state housing and property maintenance code subcommittee made up of nine members, five of whom will be from the building code standards committee. The bill also grants the committee the authority to adopt a state building code that resolves conflicts between fire safety and building codes, which must be enforceable within ninety days of approval.

Additionally, the bill introduces a new fee structure for building permits, requiring local municipalities to charge an extra 0.1% for commercial permits and 0.2% for residential permits, capped at $100 for permits related to one to four-family dwellings. A portion of these fees will fund a statewide electronic plan review and inspection system and contractor training grants. The responsibilities of the building commissioner are expanded to include the development of a standard process for electronic plan review and permit management, with annual reporting on compliance and service status. The definition of dwellings subject to the updated codes is also broadened to include three and four-unit dwellings, ensuring that larger multiple dwellings comply with commercial building codes. The act will take effect upon passage.