Chapter 195

2013 -- H 6323

Enacted 07/11/13

 

A N A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY - CODE CONSISTENCY COUNCIL

          

     Introduced By: Representatives Kazarian, Silva, and Gallison

     Date Introduced: July 01, 2013

 

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

 

     SECTION 1. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "HEALTH AND SAFETY" is hereby

amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

 

CHAPTER 88

CODE CONSISTENCY COUNCIL

 

     23-88-1. Purpose. -- It is the purpose of this chapter to establish a council to examine

areas within the building code, fire code, elevator code, and any other codes that overlap, conflict

or may be inconsistent. The council shall examine these codes and make recommendations that

may resolve the conflict or inconsistency by selecting the “lead” code on a particular issue, by

making all the codes consistent or by allowing the inconsistencies as they serve a purpose and do

not directly conflict with each other.

 

     23-88-2. Establishment. (a) There is hereby established a council to be called the

“Code Consistency Council” consisting of sixteen (16) members:

     (1) One of whom shall be the state fire marshal and who shall serve as a co-chairperson;

     (2) One of whom shall be the state building code commissioner who shall serve as a co-

chairperson;

     (3) One of whom shall be the Director of Regulatory Reform, or his or her designee;

     (4) One of whom shall be the president of the American institute of architects Rhode

Island, or his or her designee;

     (5) One of whom shall be the president of the structural engineers association of Rhode

Island, or his or her designee;

     (6) One of whom shall be the president of the Rhode Island association of fire fighters, or

his or her designee;

     (7) One of whom shall be the president of the Rhode Island chapter of the associated

general contractors, or his or her designee;

     (8) One of whom shall be the president of the housing network or his or her designee;

     (9) Two (2) of whom shall be appointed by the director of the department of labor and

training, one with an expertise in elevator safety rules and regulations and one with an expertise

in boiler safety rules and regulations;

     (10) Two (2) of whom shall be appointed by the League of Cities and Towns, one from a

city and one from a town to represent the interests of municipalities that administer building code

issues;

     (11) One of whom shall be the chairperson of the Rhode Island historical preservation

and heritage commission, or his or her designee;

     (12) One of whom shall be the President of the Rhode Island builders’ association or his

or her designee;

     (13) One of whom shall be an environmental engineer, to be appointed by the governor;

and

     (14) One of whom shall be an attorney whose practice is concentrated in building and

construction, to be appointed by the governor.

     (b) Forthwith upon the effective date of this chapter, the members of the council shall

meet at the call of the chairs and organize. Vacancies in the council shall be filled in like manner

as the original appointment.

     (c) The department of public safety is hereby directed to provide suitable quarters for the

council.

     (d) All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information

documentary and otherwise to the commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or desirable

by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this chapter.

 

     23-88-3. Meeting and reporting requirements. The council shall meet regularly and

present and report its findings and recommendations to the senate housing and municipal

government committee by March 31, 2014. The council shall cease to exist on July 1, 2015.

 

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

     

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LC02941

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