2022 -- H 7426

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LC004527

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STATE BUILDING CODE

     Introduced By: Representative Jacquelyn M. Baginski

     Date Introduced: February 09, 2022

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 23-27.3-100.1.4 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-27.3 entitled

"State Building Code" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     23-27.3-100.1.4. Appointment and qualifications of the committee.

     (a) The building code standards committee shall be composed of twenty-five (25) sixteen

(16) members, residents of the state who shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and

consent of the senate. Eight (8) Five (5) members are to be appointed for terms of one year each,

seven (7) six (6) for a term of two (2) years each, and ten (10) five (5) for terms of three (3) years

each. Annually, thereafter, the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, shall appoint

members to the committee to succeed those whose terms expired; the members to serve for terms

of three (3) years each and until their successors are appointed and qualified. Two (2) members

One member shall be architects an architect registered in the state; three (3) shall be professional

engineers registered in the state, one specializing in mechanical, one specializing in structural, and

one specializing in electrical engineering; one landscape architect, registered in the state; one full-

time certified electrical inspector; two (2) shall be builders or superintendents one shall be a builder

or superintendent of building construction; one shall be a public health official; one shall be a

qualified fire code official; two (2) one shall be from the Rhode Island building trades council; two

(2) one shall be from the Rhode Island Builders Association; one shall be a holder of Class "A"

electrician's license; one shall be a master plumber; two (2) one shall be from the general public;

three (3) one shall be a building officials official in office, one from a municipality with a

population of sixty thousand (60,000) persons or more, one from a municipality with a population

of over twenty thousand (20,000) persons but less than sixty thousand (60,000), and one from a

municipality with a population of less than twenty thousand (20,000) persons; one shall be a

minimum housing official in office from one of the local municipalities; and two (2) residents one

resident of the state who shall be persons a person with disabilities as defined in § 42-87-1.

     (b) All members shall have no less than five (5) years practical experience in their

profession or business. The committee shall elect its own chairperson and may elect from among

its members such other officers as it deems necessary. Thirteen (13) Eight (8) members of the board

shall constitute a quorum and the vote of a majority vote of those present shall be required for

action. The committee shall adopt rules and regulations for procedure. The state building

commissioner shall serve as the executive secretary to the committee. The committee shall have

the power, within the limits of appropriations provided therefor, to employ such assistance as may

be necessary to conduct business.

     (c) Members of the committee shall be removable by the governor pursuant to § 36-1-7

and for cause only, and removal solely for partisan or personal reasons unrelated to capacity or

fitness for the office shall be unlawful.

     (d) The state housing and property maintenance code subcommittee shall be composed of

nine (9) members, residents of the state. Five (5) of these members are to be current members of

the state building code standards committee and are to be appointed by that committee. The four

(4) remaining members are to be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the

senate. The four (4) appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, shall

initially be appointed on a staggered term basis, one for one year, one for two (2) years, and two

(2) for three (3) years. Annually thereafter, the building code standards committee, and the

governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, shall appoint the subcommittee members, for

which they are respectively responsible, to succeed those whose terms have expired; the members

to serve for terms of three (3) years each and until their successors are appointed and qualified. Of

the members appointed by the committee, one shall be a full-time certified electrical inspector; one

shall be a master plumber and mechanical equipment expert; one shall be a builder or

superintendent of building construction; one member shall be a qualified state fire code official;

one shall be a property manager; and one shall be a current minimum housing official from a local

municipality. The four (4) members to be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent

of the senate, shall all be current minimum housing officials from local municipalities. One shall

be from a municipality with a population of sixty thousand (60,000) persons or more, two (2) from

municipalities with a population of over twenty thousand (20,000) persons but less than sixty

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thousand (60,000), and one from a municipality with a population of less than twenty thousand

(20,000) persons.

     SECTION 2. 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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     This act would amend the composition of the state building code standards committee.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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