FIRE INSPECTOR REGISTRATION

Senate Bill 235 (Substitute S-1)

Sponsor:  Sen. Rick Jones

House Committee:  Regulatory Reform

Senate Committee:  Regulatory Reform

Complete to 9-16-13

A SUMMARY OF SENATE BILL 235 (S-1) AS PASSED BY THE SENATE 6-5-13

The bill would amend the Building Officials and Inspectors Registration Act to require the State Construction Code Commission to allow for the registration of an individual as a fire protection systems plan reviewer or a fire protection systems inspector without having to take and pass an examination if the individual is properly certified by certain national fire protection organizations.

Currently, Section 11 of the Building Officials and Inspectors Registration Act allows the Commission to register or reregister without examination individuals who are registered as a building official, inspector, or plan reviewer, if the applicant is licensed or registered in such a capacity by another state or a national organization.  This applies as long as the Commission has determined that the requirements of the other state or national organization are equivalent to Michigan's requirements for the purpose of establishing reciprocity privileges for building officials, inspectors, and plan reviewers.  In this instance, applicants would need only to provide proof of registration or certification and pay the registration fee established in Section 13 of the Act ($10 if paid after September 30, 2015; $25 if paid on or before September 30, 2015).

Specifically, Senate Bill 235 (S-1) would require the Commission, upon receiving the registration fee and without an examination, to provide registration to the following individuals:

o                   As a fire protection systems plan reviewer, applicants that are certified by the National Fire Protection Association or the International Code Council as both a fire inspector I and a fire plans examiner.  Applicants registered in this manner would only be authorized to conduct plan reviews on fire protection systems.

o                   As a fire protection systems inspector, applicants that are certified by the National Fire Protection Association or the International Code Council as a fire inspector II.  Applicants registered in this manner would only be authorized to inspect fire protection systems.

MCL 338.2302 and 338.2311

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bill would have a nominal, yet indeterminate fiscal impact on the Bureau of Construction Codes.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   Jeff Stoutenburg

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Paul Holland

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.