HOUSE BILL No. 6363

August 13, 2008, Introduced by Reps. Brown, Espinoza, Alma Smith, Hopgood and Opsommer and referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform.

 

     A bill to amend 1972 PA 230, entitled

 

"Stille-DeRossett-Hale single state construction code act,"

 

by amending section 8a (MCL 125.1508a), as added by 1999 PA 245.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 8a. (1) This act and the code apply throughout the state.

 

     (2) Within 10 days after the effective date of this

 

subsection, the director shall provide a notice of intent form to

 

all governmental subdivisions administering and enforcing a

 

nationally recognized model code other than the code established by

 

the commission under this act. This form shall set forth the date

 

return receipt is required, which date shall not be less than 60

 

days after receipt. The chief elected official of the governmental

 

subdivision that receives this notice shall indicate on the form

 

the intention of the governmental subdivision as to whether it

 


shall administer and enforce the code and transmit this notice to

 

the director within the prescribed period. If a governmental

 

subdivision fails to submit a notice of intent to administer and

 

enforce the code within the date set forth in the notice, the

 

director shall send a notice by registered mail to the clerk of

 

that governmental subdivision. The registered notice shall indicate

 

that the governmental subdivision has 15 additional days in which

 

to submit a notice of intent to administer and enforce the code. If

 

the governmental subdivision does not respond by the end of the 15

 

additional days, it shall be conclusively presumed that the

 

governmental subdivision does not intend to administer and enforce

 

the code, and the director shall assume the responsibility for

 

administering and enforcing this act and the code in that

 

governmental subdivision, unless the county within which that

 

governmental subdivision is located has submitted a notice of

 

intent to continue to administer and enforce this act and the code.

 

Governmental subdivisions may provide by agreement for joint

 

enforcement of the code.

 

     (3) A governmental subdivision that has elected to assume

 

responsibility for the administration and enforcement of this act

 

and the code, and has submitted a notice of intent to continue to

 

administer and enforce the code to the director pursuant to section

 

8b, after the effective date of this subsection December 28, 1999,

 

may reverse that election.

 

     (4) A governmental subdivision that, before the effective date

 

of this subsection December 28, 1999, has elected to exempt itself

 

pursuant to section 8(1) may reverse that election, making itself

 


subject to the act and the code. However, that action shall not

 

take effect until 60 days after passage of an ordinance to that

 

effect. A structure commenced under an effective code shall be

 

completed under that code.

 

     (5) A governmental subdivision that, before the effective date

 

of this subsection December 28, 1999, has not administered and

 

enforced either this act and the code or another nationally

 

recognized model code may elect to enforce this act and the code

 

pursuant to subsection (1) by the passage of an ordinance to that

 

effect. A governmental subdivision that makes this election after

 

the effective date of this subsection December 28, 1999 shall

 

submit, in addition to the ordinance, an application to the

 

commission for approval to administer and enforce that code within

 

its jurisdiction. This application shall be made on the proper form

 

to be provided by the commission. The standards for approval shall

 

include, but not be limited to, the certification by the

 

governmental subdivision that the enforcing agency is qualified by

 

experience or training to administer and enforce the code and all

 

related acts and rules, that agency personnel are provided as

 

necessary, administrative services are provided, plan review

 

services are provided, and timely field inspection services shall

 

be provided. The director shall seek additional information if the

 

director considers it necessary. The commission shall render a

 

decision on the application for approval to administer and enforce

 

the code that has been adopted and transmit its findings to that

 

governmental subdivision within 90 days of receipt of the

 

application. The commission shall document its reasons if the

 


commission disapproves an application. A governmental subdivision

 

that receives a disapproval may resubmit its application for

 

approval. Upon receipt of approval from the commission for the

 

administration and enforcement of the code, the governmental

 

subdivision shall administer and enforce the code within its

 

jurisdiction pursuant to the provisions of its approved

 

application.

 

     (6) The code or any of its sections shall take effect 6 months

 

after the code's initial promulgation. The 6-month delay does not

 

apply to rules promulgated to implement sections 13a, 13b, 13c, 19,

 

and 21 and the requirements of barrier free design and energy

 

conservation of this act and code. The 6-month delay does not apply

 

to amendments to the code or any of the code's sections after the

 

initial promulgation.

 

     (7) The standards for premanufactured housing shall not be

 

less than the standards required for nonpremanufactured housing,

 

except that manufactured homes labeled pursuant to the national

 

manufactured housing construction and safety standards act of 1974,

 

title VI of the housing and community development act of 1974,

 

Public Law 93-383, 42 U.S.C. USC 5401 to 5426, shall be considered

 

to have complied with this requirement.

 

     (8) The commission may limit the application of a part of the

 

code to include or exclude the following:

 

     (a) Specified classes or types of buildings or structures,

 

according to use, or other distinctions as may make differentiation

 

or separate classification or regulation necessary, proper, or

 

desirable. The commission shall consider the specific problems of

 


the construction or alteration of a single family, owner-occupied

 

recreational dwelling that is located in a sparsely populated area

 

and that is to be occupied on a part-time basis.

 

     (b) Specified areas of the state based on size, population

 

density, special conditions prevailing in the area, or other

 

factors as may make differentiation or separate classification or

 

regulation necessary, proper, or desirable.

 

     (9) A building or structure that has baby changing stations in

 

the women's restrooms shall have baby changing stations in the

 

men's restrooms.

 

     (10) The code shall provide, where appropriate, for standards

 

involving location and construction of ratwalls that are not less

 

than those standards in existence on the effective date of this

 

section December 28, 1999.

 

     (11) The electrical provisions of the Michigan residential

 

code do not apply to a dwelling utilized by a member or members of

 

a recognized religious sect if a code administrator grants an

 

exemption under the following circumstances:

 

     (a) The permit applicant submits an application with the code

 

administrator stating the manner in which an electrical provision

 

of the Michigan residential code conflicts with the applicant's

 

religious beliefs. The application must also contain an affidavit

 

by the applicant stating that the permit applicant is a member of a

 

religious sect; that the religious sect has established tenets or

 

teachings that conflict with an electrical provision of the

 

Michigan residential code; and that the permit applicant adheres to

 

the established tenets or teachings of the sect.

 


     (b) The dwelling will be used solely as a residence for the

 

permit applicant and the applicant's household.

 

     (12) The code administrator shall grant the application for

 

the electrical exemption if submitted in compliance with subsection

 

(11).

 

     (13) If the permit applicant receives an exemption for a

 

building under subsection (11) and the applicant subsequently sells

 

or leases the building, the applicant shall bring the building into

 

compliance with the electrical provision of the Michigan

 

residential code in existence in the year in which the building was

 

constructed before the sale or lease of the building unless the

 

prospective subsequent owner or lessee files an affidavit complying

 

with subsection (11)(a).