SB 166 — AN ACT CONCERNING THE PERIOD OF SERVICE OF AN ACTING BUILDING OFFICIAL.

Senate General Assembly RaisedFile Bill No.

16687 February Session, 2022 LCOSubstitute Senate Bill No.

1428166 ReferredSenate, toMarch 23, 2022 The Committee on PUBLICPublic SAFETYSafety ANDand SECURITYSecurity Introducedreported by:through SEN.OSTENofthe19thDist.,Chairperson oftheCommittee on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

(PS) AN ACT CONCERNING THE APPOINTMENT AND QUALIFICATION OF THE STATE BUILDING INSPECTOR, SUBMISSION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS TO THE STATE BUILDING INSPECTOR, INTERNET PUBLICATION OF THE LIST OF VARIANCES FROM THE STATE BUILDING CODE, THE PERIOD OF SERVICE OF AN ACTING BUILDING OFFICIAL,OFFICIAL. CERTAIN ACOUSTICAL STANDARDS AND PATH MARKING SYSTEMS.

Section 29-252 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2022):

(a) The State Building Inspector and the Codes and Standards Committee shall, jointly, with the approval of the Commissioner of Administrative Services and in accordance with the provisions of section 29-252b, adopt and administer a State Building Code based on a nationallyrecognizedmodelbuildingcodeforthepurposeofregulating the design, construction and use of buildings or structures to be erected and the alteration of buildings or structures already erected and make such amendments thereto as they, from time to time, deem necessary or desirable.

Such amendments shall be limited to administrative matters, LCO No.

1428 1 of 6 Raised Bill No.166 geotechnical and weather-related portions of said code, amendments to said code necessitated by a provision of the general statutes and any other matter which, based on substantial evidence, necessitates an amendment to said code.

The code shall be revised as deemed necessary to incorporate any subsequent revisions to the code not later than eighteen months following the date of first publication of such subsequent revisions to the code.

The purpose of said Building Code shall also include, but not be limited to, promoting and ensuring that such buildings and structures are designed and constructed in such a manner as to conserve energy and, wherever practicable, facilitate the use of renewable energy resources, including provisions for electric circuits capable of supporting electric vehicle charging in any newly constructed residential garage in any code adopted after July 8, 2013.

Said Building Code includes any code, rule or regulation incorporated therein by reference.

As used in this subsection, "geotechnical" means any geological condition, such as soil and subsurface soil condition, which may affect the structural characteristics of a building or structure.

(b) The State Building Inspector shall be appointed by the [Governor.

He] Commissioner of Administrative Services.

The State Building Inspector shall be an architect, [or] professional engineer or building official licensed by the state of Connecticut, shall have a thorough knowledge of building code administration and enforcement and shall have had not less than ten years practical experience in his or her profession.

(c) The State Building Inspector or [his] the inspector's designee may issue official interpretations of the State Building Code, including interpretations of the applicability of any provision of the code, upon the request of any person.

The State Building Inspector shall compile and index each interpretation and shall publish such interpretations at periodic intervals not exceeding four months.

(d) The State Building Inspector or [his] the inspector's designee shall review a decision by a local building official or a board of appeals appointed pursuant to section 29-266 when [he] the inspector or LCO No.

1428 2 of 6 Raised Bill No.166 designee has reason to believe that such official or board has misconstrued or misinterpreted any provision of the State Building Code.

If, upon review and after consultation with such official or board, [he] the inspector or designee determines that a provision of the code has been misconstrued or misinterpreted, [he] the inspector or designee shall issue an interpretation of said code and may issue any order [he] the inspector or designee deems appropriate.

Any such determination or order shall be in writing and be sent to such local building official or board by registered mail, return receipt requested.

Any person aggrieved by any determinationor order by the State Building Inspector under this subsection may appeal to the Codes and Standards Committee within fourteen days after mailing of the decision or order.

Any person aggrieved by any ruling of the Codes and Standards Committee may appeal in accordance with the provisions of subsection (d) of section 29-266.

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2.

Subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 29-252a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2022):

(b) (1) No state or Connecticut Airport Authority building or structure or addition to a state or Connecticut Airport Authority building or structure:

(A) That exceeds the threshold limits contained in section 29-276b and requires an independent structural review under said section, or (B) that includes residential occupancies for twenty-five or more persons, shall be constructed until an application has been filed by (i) the commissioner of an agency authorized to contract for the construction of buildings under the provisions of section 4b-1 or 4b-51, or (ii) the executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority, with the State Building Inspector and a building permit is issued by the State Building Inspector.

[Two copies of the plans] Plans and specifications forthebuilding,structureoradditiontobeconstructedshallaccompany the application.

The commissioner of any such agency or the executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority shall certify that such plans and specifications are in substantial compliance with the provisions of the State Building Code and, where applicable, with the LCO No.

1428 3 of 6 Raised Bill No.166 provisions of the Fire Safety Code.

The State Building Inspector shall review the plans and specifications for the building, structure or addition to be constructed to verify their compliance with the requirements of the State Building Code and, not later than thirty days after the date of application, shall issue or refuse to issue the building permit, in whole or in part.

The State Building Inspector may request that the State Fire Marshal review such plans to verify their compliance with the Fire Safety Code.

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3.

Section 29-254b of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2022):

Not later than January 1, 2003, the State Building Inspector and the Codes and Standards Committee, in conjunction with the CommissionerofAdministrativeServices,shallcreatealistofvariations or exemptions from, or equivalent or alternate compliance with, the State Building Code granted relative to existing buildings in the last two calendar years and shall update such list biennially.

Not later than April 1, 2003, the Commissioner of Administrative Services shall, within available appropriations, (1) [send such list to all local building officials, (2) take appropriate actions to publicize such list] publish such list on the Internet web site of the Department of Administrative Services, and [(3)] (2) educate local building officials and the public on how to use the list.

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