| Chapter 302 |
| 2021 -- H 6446 Enacted 07/09/2021 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STATE BUILDING CODE |
Introduced By: Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi |
| Date Introduced: June 17, 2021 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Sections 23-27.3-108.2 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-27.3 entitled |
| "State Building Code" are hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 23-27.3-108.2. State building commissioner's duties. |
| (a) This code shall be enforced by the state building commissioner as to any structures or |
| buildings or parts thereof that are owned or are temporarily or permanently under the jurisdiction |
| of the state or any of its departments, commissions, agencies, or authorities established by an act |
| of the general assembly, and as to any structures or buildings or parts thereof that are built upon |
| any land owned by or under the jurisdiction of the state. |
| (b) Permit fees for the projects shall be established by the committee. The fees shall be |
| deposited as general revenues. |
| (c)(1) The local cities and towns shall charge each permit applicant an additional .1 (.001) |
| percent levy of the total construction cost for each permit issued. The levy shall be limited to a |
| maximum of fifty dollars ($50.00) for each of the permits issued for one- and two-family (2) |
| dwellings. This additional levy shall be transmitted monthly to the state building office at the |
| department of business regulation, and shall be used to staff and support the purchase or lease and |
| operation of a web-accessible service and/or system to be utilized by the state and municipalities |
| for uniform, statewide electronic plan review, permit management, and inspection system and other |
| programs described in this chapter. The fee levy shall be deposited as general revenues. |
| (2) On or before July 1, 2013, the building commissioner shall develop a standard statewide |
| process for electronic plan review, permit management, and inspection. The process shall include, |
| but not be limited to: applications; submission of building plans and plans for developments and |
| plots; plan review; permitting; inspections; inspection scheduling; project tracking; fee calculation |
| and collections; and workflow and report management. |
| (3) On or before December 1, 2013, the building commissioner, with the assistance of the |
| office of regulatory reform, shall implement the standard statewide process for electronic plan |
| review, permit management, and inspection. In addition, the building commissioner shall develop |
| a technology and implementation plan for a standard web-accessible service or system to be utilized |
| by the state and municipalities for uniform, statewide electronic plan review, permit management, |
| and inspection. The plan shall include, but not be limited to: applications; submission of building |
| plans and plans for developments and plots; plan review; permitting; inspections; inspection |
| scheduling; project tracking; fee calculation and collections; and workflow and report management. |
| (d) The building commissioner shall, upon request by any state contractor described in § |
| 37-2-38.1, review, and when all conditions for certification have been met, certify to the state |
| controller that the payment conditions contained in § 37-2-38.1 have been met. |
| (e) The building commissioner shall coordinate the development and implementation of |
| this section with the state fire marshal to assist with the implementation of § 23-28.2-6. On or before |
| January 1, 2022, the building commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement |
| the provisions of this section and § 26-27.3-115.6 23-27.3-115.6. |
| (f) The building commissioner shall submit, in coordination with the state fire marshal, a |
| report to the governor and general assembly on or before April 1, 2013, and each April 1st |
| thereafter, providing the status of the web-accessible service and/or system implementation and |
| any recommendations for process or system improvement. In every report submitted on or after |
| April, 2024, the building commissioner shall provide the following information: |
| (1) The identity of every municipality in full compliance with the provisions § 23-27.3- |
| 115.6 and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the provisions of this section; |
| (2) The identity of every municipality failing to fully implement and comply with the |
| provisions of § 23-27.3-115.6 and/or the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the |
| provisions of this section, and the nature, extent, and basis or reason for the failure or |
| noncompliance; and |
| (3) Recommendations to achieve compliance by all municipalities with the provisions of § |
| 23-27.3-115.6 and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this section. |
| SECTION 2. Chapter 23-27.3 of the General Laws entitled "State Building Code" is hereby |
| amended by adding thereto the following section: |
| 23-27.3-115.6. Electronic construction permitting. |
| (a) Every municipality in the state, on or before July 1, 2023, shall adopt and implement |
| electronic construction permitting. For purposes of this section, "electronic construction |
| permitting" means use of computer-based tools and services that automate and streamline the |
| building permit process to include, but not limited to, task-specific tools for: applications; |
| submission of building plans and plans for developments and plots; plan review; permitting; |
| inspections; inspection scheduling; project tracking; fee calculation and collection; and workflow |
| and report management. |
| (b) The state building commissioner pursuant to the provisions of § 23-27.3-108.2 shall |
| promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section. |
| (c) On or before July 1, 2023, pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the state |
| building commissioner, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to the contrary, all acts, |
| requirements, filings, and documents necessary to comply with the building permit process shall |
| be conducted by means of electronic construction permitting. Provided, however, a municipality |
| may elect to delay implementation of the requirements of this section for a period of one year by |
| giving written notice to the state building commissioner prior to July 1, 2023. Any municipality |
| electing to delay implementation shall comply with the provisions of this section on or before July |
| 1, 2024. |
| SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC003025 |
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