Chapter 303 |
2021 -- S 0981 Enacted 07/09/2021 |
A N A C T |
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STATE BUILDING CODE |
Introduced By: Senator Roger Picard |
Date Introduced: June 25, 2021 |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
SECTION 1. Sections 23-27.3-108.2 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-27.3 entitled |
"State Building Code" are hereby amended to read as follows: |
23-27.3-108.2. State building commissioner's duties. |
(a) This code shall be enforced by the state building commissioner as to any structures or |
buildings or parts thereof that are owned or are temporarily or permanently under the jurisdiction |
of the state or any of its departments, commissions, agencies, or authorities established by an act |
of the general assembly, and as to any structures or buildings or parts thereof that are built upon |
any land owned by or under the jurisdiction of the state. |
(b) Permit fees for the projects shall be established by the committee. The fees shall be |
deposited as general revenues. |
(c)(1) The local cities and towns shall charge each permit applicant an additional .1 (.001) |
percent levy of the total construction cost for each permit issued. The levy shall be limited to a |
maximum of fifty dollars ($50.00) for each of the permits issued for one- and two-family (2) |
dwellings. This additional levy shall be transmitted monthly to the state building office at the |
department of business regulation, and shall be used to staff and support the purchase or lease and |
operation of a web-accessible service and/or system to be utilized by the state and municipalities |
for uniform, statewide electronic plan review, permit management, and inspection system and other |
programs described in this chapter. The fee levy shall be deposited as general revenues. |
(2) On or before July 1, 2013, the building commissioner shall develop a standard statewide |
process for electronic plan review, permit management, and inspection. The process shall include, |
but not be limited to: applications; submission of building plans and plans for developments and |
plots; plan review; permitting; inspections; inspection scheduling; project tracking; fee calculation |
and collections; and workflow and report management. |
(3) On or before December 1, 2013, the building commissioner, with the assistance of the |
office of regulatory reform, shall implement the standard statewide process for electronic plan |
review, permit management, and inspection. In addition, the building commissioner shall develop |
a technology and implementation plan for a standard web-accessible service or system to be utilized |
by the state and municipalities for uniform, statewide electronic plan review, permit management, |
and inspection. The plan shall include, but not be limited to: applications; submission of building |
plans and plans for developments and plots; plan review; permitting; inspections; inspection |
scheduling; project tracking; fee calculation and collections; and workflow and report management. |
(d) The building commissioner shall, upon request by any state contractor described in § |
37-2-38.1, review, and when all conditions for certification have been met, certify to the state |
controller that the payment conditions contained in § 37-2-38.1 have been met. |
(e) The building commissioner shall coordinate the development and implementation of |
this section with the state fire marshal to assist with the implementation of § 23-28.2-6. On or before |
January 1, 2022, the building commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement |
the provisions of this section and § 26-27.3-115.6 23-27.3-115.6. |
(f) The building commissioner shall submit, in coordination with the state fire marshal, a |
report to the governor and general assembly on or before April 1, 2013, and each April 1st |
thereafter, providing the status of the web-accessible service and/or system implementation and |
any recommendations for process or system improvement. In every report submitted on or after |
April, 2024, the building commissioner shall provide the following information: |
(1) The identity of every municipality in full compliance with the provisions § 23-27.3- |
115.6 and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the provisions of this section; |
(2) The identity of every municipality failing to fully implement and comply with the |
provisions of § 23-27.3-115.6 and/or the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the |
provisions of this section, and the nature, extent, and basis or reason for the failure or |
noncompliance; and |
(3) Recommendations to achieve compliance by all municipalities with the provisions of § |
23-27.3-115.6 and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this section. |
SECTION 2. Chapter 23-27.3 of the General Laws entitled "State Building Code" is hereby |
amended by adding thereto the following section: |
23-27.3-115.6. Electronic construction permitting. |
(a) Every municipality in the state, on or before July 1, 2023, shall adopt and implement |
electronic construction permitting. For purposes of this section, "electronic construction |
permitting" means use of computer-based tools and services that automate and streamline the |
building permit process to include, but not limited to, task-specific tools for: applications; |
submission of building plans and plans for developments and plots; plan review; permitting; |
inspections; inspection scheduling; project tracking; fee calculation and collection; and workflow |
and report management. |
(b) The state building commissioner pursuant to the provisions of § 23-27.3-108.2 shall |
promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section. |
(c) On or before July 1, 2023, pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the state |
building commissioner, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to the contrary, all acts, |
requirements, filings, and documents necessary to comply with the building permit process shall |
be conducted by means of electronic construction permitting. Provided, however, a municipality |
may elect to delay implementation of the requirements of this section for a period of one year by |
giving written notice to the state building commissioner prior to July 1, 2023. Any municipality |
electing to delay implementation shall comply with the provisions of this section on or before July |
1, 2024. |
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
======== |
LC003093 |
======== |