HOUSE BILL No. 5376

 

 

January 10, 2018, Introduced by Reps. Iden, Bellino, Kesto, Crawford, Griffin, Webber, Brann and McCready 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 4 (MCL 125.1504), as amended by 2012 PA 504.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 4. (1) The director shall prepare and promulgate the

 

state construction code consisting of rules governing the

 

construction, use, and occupation of buildings and structures,

 

including land area incidental to the buildings and structures, the

 

manufacture and installation of building components and equipment,

 

the construction and installation of premanufactured units, the

 

standards and requirements for materials to be used in connection

 

with the units, and other requirements relating to the safety,

 

including safety from fire, and sanitation facilities of the

 


buildings and structures.

 

     (2) The code shall consist of the international residential

 

code, the international building code, the international mechanical

 

code, the international plumbing code, the international existing

 

building code, and the international energy conservation code

 

published by the international code council and the national

 

electrical code published by the national fire prevention

 

association, with amendments, additions, or deletions as the

 

director determines appropriate. The director may adopt all or any

 

part of these codes or the standards contained within these codes

 

by reference.

 

     (3) The code shall be designed to effectuate the general

 

purposes of this act and the following objectives and standards:

 

     (a) To provide standards and requirements for construction and

 

construction materials consistent with nationally recognized

 

standards and requirements.

 

     (b) To formulate standards and requirements, to the extent

 

practicable in terms of performance objectives, so as to make

 

adequate performance for the use intended the test of

 

acceptability.

 

     (c) To permit to the fullest extent feasible the use of modern

 

technical methods, devices, and improvements, including

 

premanufactured units, consistent with reasonable requirements for

 

the health, safety, and welfare of the occupants and users of

 

buildings and structures.

 

     (d) To eliminate restrictive, obsolete, conflicting, or

 

unnecessary construction regulations that tend to increase


construction costs unnecessarily or restrict the use of new

 

materials, products, or methods of construction, or provide

 

preferential treatment to types or classes of materials or products

 

or methods of construction.

 

     (e) To ensure adequate maintenance of buildings and structures

 

throughout this state and to adequately protect the health, safety,

 

and welfare of the people.

 

     (f) To provide standards and requirements for cost-effective

 

energy efficiency that will be effective April 1, 1997.

 

     (g) Upon periodic review, to continue to seek ever-improving,

 

cost-effective energy efficiencies.

 

     (h) To develop a voluntary consumer information system

 

relating to energy efficiencies.

 

     (4) The code shall be divided into sections as the director

 

considers appropriate including, without limitation, building,

 

plumbing, electrical, and mechanical sections. The boards shall

 

participate in and work with the staff of the director in the

 

preparation of parts relating to their functions. Before the

 

promulgation of an amendment to the code, the boards whose

 

functions relate to that code may draft and recommend to the

 

director proposed language. The director shall consider all

 

submissions by the boards. However, the director has final

 

responsibility for the promulgation of the code.Subject to

 

subsection (5), before promulgation of a new edition of a code

 

described in subsection (2), the director shall appoint separate

 

advisory committees for each of the codes listed in subsection (2).

 

Membership in each of the separate advisory committees shall be as


follows:

 

     (a) The advisory committee for the international building code

 

shall be composed of the following members appointed by the

 

director:

 

     (i) Two representatives from fire services.

 

     (ii) Two licensed architects.

 

     (iii) One licensed structural engineer.

 

     (iv) Three registered building officials or inspectors.

 

     (v) One registered plan reviewer.

 

     (vi) Two commercial contractors.

 

     (vii) One multifamily contractor.

 

     (viii) Two building owners or managers.

 

     (ix) One representative of persons with disabilities.

 

     (x) The chief of the building division or his or her

 

representative who shall serve as a nonvoting member of the

 

advisory committee.

 

     (b) The advisory committee for the national electrical code

 

shall be composed of the following members appointed by the

 

director:

 

     (i) One licensed electrical contractor.

 

     (ii) One journeyperson electrician.

 

     (iii) One master electrician.

 

     (iv) Two registered electrical inspectors.

 

     (v) One building owner or manager.

 

     (vi) One commercial contractor.

 

     (vii) The chief of the electrical division or his or her

 

representative who shall serve as a nonvoting member of the


advisory committee.

 

     (c) The advisory committee for the commercial chapters of the

 

international energy conservation code shall be composed of the

 

following members appointed by the director:

 

     (i) One energy rater or modeler.

 

     (ii) Three licensed architects.

 

     (iii) One licensed structural engineer.

 

     (iv) One licensed electrical contractor.

 

     (v) One licensed mechanical contractor.

 

     (vi) Three registered building officials or inspectors.

 

     (vii) One commercial contractor.

 

     (viii) One multifamily contractor.

 

     (ix) One building owner or manager.

 

     (x) One electrical utility representative.

 

     (xi) One gas utility representative.

 

     (xii) The director of the Michigan agency for energy or his or

 

her representative who shall serve as a nonvoting member of the

 

advisory committee.

 

     (d) The advisory committee for the international existing

 

building code shall be composed of the following members appointed

 

by the director:

 

     (i) Two representatives from fire services.

 

     (ii) One licensed architect.

 

     (iii) One licensed structural engineer.

 

     (iv) One licensed electrical contractor.

 

     (v) One registered plan reviewer.

 

     (vi) Two registered building officials or inspectors.


     (vii) One representative of persons with disabilities.

 

     (viii) One contractor specializing in renovation and

 

rehabilitation of existing buildings.

 

     (ix) One building owner or manager.

 

     (x) The chief of the plan review division or a representative

 

shall serve as a nonvoting member of the committee.

 

     (e) The advisory committee for the international mechanical

 

code shall be composed of the following members appointed by the

 

director:

 

     (i) One licensed professional mechanical engineer.

 

     (ii) Three licensed mechanical contractors.

 

     (iii) Two registered mechanical inspectors.

 

     (iv) One building owner or manager.

 

     (v) The chief of the mechanical division or his or her

 

representative who shall serve as a nonvoting member of the

 

advisory committee.

 

     (f) The advisory committee for the international plumbing code

 

shall be composed of the following members appointed by the

 

director:

 

     (i) Two licensed master plumbers.

 

     (ii) Three registered plumbing inspectors.

 

     (iii) One building owner or manager.

 

     (iv) One plumbing contractor.

 

     (v) The chief of the plumbing division or his or her

 

representative who shall serve as a nonvoting member of the

 

advisory committee.

 

     (g) The advisory committee for all chapters of the


international residential code shall be composed of the following

 

members appointed by the director:

 

     (i) One licensed architect.

 

     (ii) One licensed structural engineer.

 

     (iii) One representative from fire services.

 

     (iv) One licensed electrical contractor.

 

     (v) One licensed mechanical contractor.

 

     (vi) One licensed plumbing contractor.

 

     (vii) One licensed residential builder specializing in new

 

construction.

 

     (viii) One licensed builder specializing in remodeling,

 

renovation, or rehabilitation.

 

     (ix) One contractor specializing in multifamily housing.

 

     (x) Three registered building officials or inspectors.

 

     (xi) One registered plan reviewer.

 

     (xii) One energy rater or modeler.

 

     (xiii) One representative of persons with disabilities.

 

     (xiv) The chief of the building division or his or her

 

representative who shall serve as a nonvoting member of the

 

advisory committee.

 

     (5) Representatives from companies engaged in the manufacture,

 

promotion, or sale of materials or components used in construction

 

may not serve on an advisory committee. Individuals may be

 

appointed to serve on more than 1 advisory committee.

 

     (6) A notice of the time and place of meetings of the advisory

 

committees along with an agenda shall be posted on the department's

 

website at least 5 business days in advance of the meeting. The


notice shall specify the date, time, and place of the meeting. All

 

meetings shall be held in a place available to the general public.

 

All persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting. At any such

 

meeting all persons desiring to do so shall be afforded a

 

reasonable opportunity to present their views on the matters before

 

the advisory committee at that meeting prior to any vote on that

 

matter.

 

     (7) Using the existing promulgated Michigan code in effect at

 

the time of the review as their base document, the advisory

 

committees will review and compare the new edition of their

 

assigned model code to the existing Michigan code as well as

 

considering any proposal submitted for revision or amendment to the

 

newest edition of the model code.

 

     (8) Each advisory committee shall prepare a report for the

 

director's consideration. The report shall be submitted to the

 

director and shall contain the advisory committee's recommendations

 

for changes to the existing Michigan code in effect at the time of

 

the review, including the adoption of any new language or

 

requirements from the latest edition of the relevant model code. In

 

making its recommendations, the advisory committee shall consider

 

all of the following:

 

     (a) The reason for each proposed revision or amendment.

 

     (b) The demonstrated need in Michigan for each proposed

 

revision or amendment.

 

     (c) The impact that the revision or amendment may have upon

 

the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

 

     (d) The economic reasonableness and financial impact of the


revision or amendment.

 

     (e) The technical feasibility of the revision or amendment.

 

     (9) Each committee shall vote publicly and by roll call on

 

each proposed revision or amendment. A majority of those present

 

and casting votes is needed to approve any revision or amendment.

 

All votes shall be posted on the department's website within 48

 

hours of each meeting.

 

     (10) The director shall consider all submissions and

 

recommendations from the advisory committees. However, the director

 

has final responsibility for the promulgation of the code.

 

     (11) (5) The director shall add, amend, and rescind rules to

 

update the Michigan building code, the Michigan mechanical code,

 

the Michigan plumbing code, the Michigan rehabilitation code for

 

existing buildings, the Michigan electrical code, and the

 

commercial chapters of the Michigan energy code not less than once

 

every 3 years to coincide with the national code change cycle.

 

     (12) (6) Within 90 days after the effective date of the 2012

 

act that amended this section, Not later than June 28, 2013, the

 

director shall begin the process to add, amend, or rescind rules to

 

update the 2009 Michigan residential code, including the

 

residential energy code chapter. Commencing with the 2015 national

 

code change cycle, the director shall add, amend, and rescind rules

 

to simultaneously update all chapters of the Michigan residential

 

code not less frequently than once every 6 years or more frequently

 

than once every 3 years as the director determines is appropriate.

 

Not more than 200 days after the printed publication of the latest

 

edition of the international residential code book is made


available to the general public, the director shall hold a public

 

meeting in Lansing and offer persons an opportunity to present data

 

and comments on the general need to update the Michigan residential

 

code. The department shall give 30 days' advance notice of a

 

meeting under this subsection on the department's website. Not more

 

than 30 days after the meeting, the director shall issue a written

 

determination whether to update the Michigan residential code. The

 

department shall post notice of the determination on its website

 

for at least 45 days.

 

     (13) (7) If the director makes the determination not to update

 

the Michigan residential code, a person may, within 45 days after

 

the determination, request the director to promulgate a rule to

 

amend a section or sections of the Michigan residential code.

 

Within 90 days after the filing of a request, the director shall

 

initiate the processing of a rule or shall issue to the requestor a

 

concise written statement of the principal reasons for denial of

 

the request and post the denial statement on the department's

 

website until the Michigan residential code is next updated. The

 

denial of the request is not subject to judicial review.

 

     (14) (8) Before the Michigan building code, the Michigan

 

residential code, the Michigan plumbing code, the Michigan

 

mechanical code, the Michigan uniform energy code, and the Michigan

 

rehabilitation code may be enforced, the director shall make each

 

Michigan-specific code available to the general public for at least

 

45 days in printed, electronic, or other form that does not require

 

the user to purchase additional documents or data in any form in

 

order to have an updated complete version of each specific code,


excluding other referenced standards within each code. This

 

subsection does not apply to any code effective before April 1,

 

2005. If the Michigan residential code is updated on a 6-year

 

cycle, then use of a material, product, method of manufacture, or

 

method or manner of construction or installation provided for in an

 

interim edition of the international residential code is authorized

 

throughout this state and shall be permitted, but shall not be

 

mandated, by an enforcing agency or its building official or

 

inspectors. However, the enforcing agency or its building official

 

or inspectors may require that if such a material, product, method

 

of manufacture, or method or manner of construction or installation

 

provided for in an interim edition of the international residential

 

code is used, the use shall comply with all applicable requirements

 

set forth in the interim edition of the international residential

 

code.