1.20.2010

AIA|WA Opposes Move of SBCC to Labor and Industries

The AIA/WA testified in the House Community, Economic Development, Trade Committee today, Jan. 20, regarding HB 2658. Section eight of HB 2658 proposes to move the State Building Code Council (SBCC) to the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I).

Primarily, the AIA/WA opposes the move because there is a conflict between the function of L&I and the role of the SBCC. The SBCC does not conduct any enforcement activities. Whereas, L&I is enforcement oriented. In order to be effective the SBCC must combine divergent views to create codes that are proper, safe and able to be implemented; this requires independence from enforcement.

The AIA/WA is also opposed because this transfer is unnecessary to save funds and could be greatly disruptive. The SBCC is self-funded through fees so this move has no fiscal impact. Currently, the SBCC is successful in the Department of Commerce, especially in regard to the synergy it has created with energy efficiency programs.

This was not a shift that was determined by a stakeholder process, unlike other changes suggested in the legislation. You can see testimony by AIA/WA Executive Director, Stan Bowman, below.

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