The bill amends several sections of the General Laws in Chapter 23-27.3, which governs the State Building Code, by establishing a building code standards committee with a majority of its members required for action or decision. The committee will have the authority to adopt and promulgate a state building code, which may be promulgated in several sections applicable to different types of dwellings and commercial structures, using the International Residential Code and the International Building Code from the International Code Council (ICC). The bill also specifies that all electrical work must comply with the latest edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC), which the committee will adopt.

Additionally, the bill establishes a state building code office within the office of the state fire marshal, which will oversee the implementation of the building code. The state building code commissioner, who will be a member of the classified service, will be responsible for administrative duties and will develop a technology and implementation plan for electronic permitting. The bill outlines the qualifications and responsibilities of the state building code commissioner, including the collection of fees for permits and the use of those funds for residential review, permit management, and inspection.

Furthermore, the bill amends Section 42-35-2.9 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-35, requiring agencies to conduct a regulatory analysis for proposed rules before publishing notice of rulemaking. This analysis must evaluate the benefits and costs of regulatory alternatives and justify any overlaps with existing regulations. Specific requirements for regulatory analyses related to amendments to the state fire safety code, state building code, and state rehabilitation building and fire code are also introduced, mandating completion within 150 days of a recommendation for passage.

Statutes affected:
1089: 23-28.2-1, 42-35-2.9
1089  SUB A: 23-28.2-1, 42-35-2.9
1089  SUB A as amended: 23-28.2-1, 42-35-2.9