2025 -- H 5846

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LC001611

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STATE BUILDING CODE

     Introduced By: Representatives Cortvriend, Edwards, Kislak, Speakman, Handy, and
McGaw

     Date Introduced: February 28, 2025

     Referred To: House Environment and Natural Resources

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 23-27.3-100.1.5.4 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-27.3 entitled

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

     23-27.3-100.1.5.4. State energy conservation code.

     (a) The state building code standards committee (“committee”) shall adopt an energy

conservation code that shall be based on appropriate nationally and internationally recognized

models, and shall promulgate and administer the energy conservation code. The energy

conservation code shall contain provisions pertaining to, but not limited to, the construction of

buildings, the use of renewable energy resources in buildings, the efficient use of energy within

buildings, and the orientation of buildings on their sites. The state energy conservation code shall

at a minimum:

     (1) For residential or commercial buildings, meet or exceed the most recently published

International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), or achieve equivalent or greater energy savings.

The state building code standards committee shall revise the state energy conservation code to

comply with this requirement within one year of any update to the International Energy

Conservation Code; provided, however, that the 2021 IECC published by the International Code

Council shall not be adopted and the 2024 IECC published by the International Code Council shall

be adopted within (3) three months of its release.; and, further provided that, a moratorium on

changes to the state energy conservation code from the 2024 IECC shall be in effect until January

1, 2030, during which period the state building code standards committee shall not adopt, and the

state building office shall not enforce, any changes to the state energy conservation code that

deviate from the 2024 IECC, unless otherwise approved by the general assembly and made

effective by the governor.

     (2) Within one year of the release of the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code, the

state building code standards committee shall revise the state energy conservation code to meet or

exceed the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code’s electric readiness provisions.

     (b) No later than six (6) months after the adoption of the building code(s) described in

subsection (a) of this section, the state building code standards committee shall develop a plan to

achieve compliance with the building code(s) described in subsection (a) of this section in at least

ninety percent (90%) of new and renovated residential and commercial building space in the state.

Such plan shall include active training and enforcement programs and measurement of the rate of

compliance each year.

     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

***

     This act would establish a moratorium on changes to the state energy conservation code

from the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code until January 1, 2030, unless approved by

the legislature and made effective by the governor.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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