2021 -- S 0981 | |
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LC003093 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STATE BUILDING CODE | |
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Introduced By: Senator Roger Picard | |
Date Introduced: June 25, 2021 | |
Referred To: Senate Housing & Municipal Government | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Sections 23-27.3-108.2 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-27.3 entitled |
2 | "State Building Code" are hereby amended to read as follows: |
3 | 23-27.3-108.2. State building commissioner's duties. |
4 | (a) This code shall be enforced by the state building commissioner as to any structures or |
5 | buildings or parts thereof that are owned or are temporarily or permanently under the jurisdiction |
6 | of the state or any of its departments, commissions, agencies, or authorities established by an act |
7 | of the general assembly, and as to any structures or buildings or parts thereof that are built upon |
8 | any land owned by or under the jurisdiction of the state. |
9 | (b) Permit fees for the projects shall be established by the committee. The fees shall be |
10 | deposited as general revenues. |
11 | (c)(1) The local cities and towns shall charge each permit applicant an additional .1 (.001) |
12 | percent levy of the total construction cost for each permit issued. The levy shall be limited to a |
13 | maximum of fifty dollars ($50.00) for each of the permits issued for one- and two-family (2) |
14 | dwellings. This additional levy shall be transmitted monthly to the state building office at the |
15 | department of business regulation, and shall be used to staff and support the purchase or lease and |
16 | operation of a web-accessible service and/or system to be utilized by the state and municipalities |
17 | for uniform, statewide electronic plan review, permit management, and inspection system and other |
18 | programs described in this chapter. The fee levy shall be deposited as general revenues. |
19 | (2) On or before July 1, 2013, the building commissioner shall develop a standard statewide |
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1 | process for electronic plan review, permit management, and inspection. The process shall include, |
2 | but not be limited to: applications; submission of building plans and plans for developments and |
3 | plots; plan review; permitting; inspections; inspection scheduling; project tracking; fee calculation |
4 | and collections; and workflow and report management. |
5 | (3) On or before December 1, 2013, the building commissioner, with the assistance of the |
6 | office of regulatory reform, shall implement the standard statewide process for electronic plan |
7 | review, permit management, and inspection. In addition, the building commissioner shall develop |
8 | a technology and implementation plan for a standard web-accessible service or system to be utilized |
9 | by the state and municipalities for uniform, statewide electronic plan review, permit management, |
10 | and inspection. The plan shall include, but not be limited to: applications; submission of building |
11 | plans and plans for developments and plots; plan review; permitting; inspections; inspection |
12 | scheduling; project tracking; fee calculation and collections; and workflow and report management. |
13 | (d) The building commissioner shall, upon request by any state contractor described in § |
14 | 37-2-38.1, review, and when all conditions for certification have been met, certify to the state |
15 | controller that the payment conditions contained in § 37-2-38.1 have been met. |
16 | (e) The building commissioner shall coordinate the development and implementation of |
17 | this section with the state fire marshal to assist with the implementation of § 23-28.2-6. On or before |
18 | January 1, 2022, the building commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement |
19 | the provisions of this section and § 26-27.3-115.6. |
20 | (f) The building commissioner shall submit, in coordination with the state fire marshal, a |
21 | report to the governor and general assembly on or before April 1, 2013, and each April 1st |
22 | thereafter, providing the status of the web-accessible service and/or system implementation and |
23 | any recommendations for process or system improvement. In every report submitted on or after |
24 | April, 2024, the building commissioner shall provide the following information: |
25 | (1) The identity of every municipality in full compliance with the provisions § 23-27.3- |
26 | 115.6 and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the provisions of this section; |
27 | (2) The identity of every municipality failing to fully implement and comply with the |
28 | provisions of § 23-27.3-115.6 and/or the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the |
29 | provisions of this section, and the nature, extent, and basis or reason for the failure or |
30 | noncompliance; and |
31 | (3) Recommendations to achieve compliance by all municipalities with the provisions of § |
32 | 23-27.3-115.6 and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this section. |
33 | SECTION 2. Chapter 23-27.3 of the General Laws entitled "State Building Code" is hereby |
34 | amended by adding thereto the following section: |
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1 | 23-27.3-115.6. Electronic construction permitting. |
2 | (a) Every municipality in the state, on or before July 1, 2023, shall adopt and implement |
3 | electronic construction permitting. For purposes of this section, "electronic construction |
4 | permitting" means use of computer-based tools and services that automate and streamline the |
5 | building permit process to include, but not limited to, task-specific tools for: applications; |
6 | submission of building plans and plans for developments and plots; plan review; permitting; |
7 | inspections; inspection scheduling; project tracking; fee calculation and collection; and workflow |
8 | and report management. |
9 | (b) The state building commissioner pursuant to the provisions of § 23-27.3-108.2 shall |
10 | promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section. |
11 | (c) On or before July 1, 2023, pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the state |
12 | building commissioner, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to the contrary, all acts, |
13 | requirements, filings and documents necessary to comply with the building permit process shall be |
14 | conducted by means of electronic construction permitting. Provided, however, a municipality may |
15 | elect to delay implementation of the requirements of this section for a period of one year by giving |
16 | written notice to the state building commissioner prior to July 1, 2023. Any municipality electing |
17 | to delay implementation shall comply with the provisions of this section on or before July 1, 2024. |
18 | SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STATE BUILDING CODE | |
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1 | This act would provide that municipalities on or before July 1, 2023, shall adopt and |
2 | implement an electronic construction permitting (E-permitting) process for submission and |
3 | approval of building permits, plans, inspection scheduling, project tracking and fee collection. The |
4 | act further provides that the state building code standards committee shall promulgate rules and |
5 | regulations to implement the E-permitting process. |
6 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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