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Alabama Senate Bill SB215

Alabama 2023 Regular Session

Alabama Senate Bill SB215 Compare Versions

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11 SB215INTRODUCED
22 Page 0
33 144BLL-1
44 By Senators Hatcher, Beasley, Coleman-Madison, Stewart,
55 Coleman, Elliott, Gudger, Price, Jones, Givhan
66 RFD: Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development
77 First Read: 19-Apr-23
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1313 6 144BLL-1 04/19/2023 CMH (L)bm 2023-1661
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1515 SYNOPSIS:
1616 This bill would create the Healthier Homes
1717 Construction Practices Act to authorize a county or
1818 municipality to adopt procedures for the installation
1919 and activation of temporary-permanent electricity or
2020 temporary-permanent gas under certain conditions.
2121 A BILL
2222 TO BE ENTITLED
2323 AN ACT
2424 Relating to building codes; to create the Healthier
2525 Homes Construction Practices Act; to authorize counties and
2626 municipalities to adopt procedures for the installation and
2727 activation of temporary-permanent electricity or
2828 temporary-permanent gas under certain conditions; and to
2929 provide certain requirements for the activation.
3030 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
3131 Section 1. (a) This act shall be known and may be cited
3232 as the Healthier Homes Construction Practices Act.
3333 (b) The Legislature finds and declares that indoor air
3434 quality in homes under construction is of prime importance for
3535 the long-term durability of the home and health of the
3636 consumer. It is the intent of the Legislature to address the
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6666 following issues related to the lack of temporary-permanent
6767 electricity and temporary-permanent gas:
6868 (1) Mold build-up due to temperature and humidity
6969 within the structure.
7070 (2) Component damage due to temperature and humidity.
7171 (3) Warping and disfigurement of wood within the
7272 structure due to temperature and humidity.
7373 (c) Any municipality or county that adopts and enforces
7474 building codes shall enact a procedure allowing for the
7575 installation and activation, on a temporary basis in
7676 accordance with the requirements of this act, of electricity
7777 ("temporary-permanent electricity") or gas
7878 ("temporary-permanent gas") in any dwelling, covered by the
7979 scope of the International Residential Code, under
8080 construction in its jurisdiction.
8181 (d) The municipality or county may require any of the
8282 following to occur prior to the installation or activation of
8383 temporary-permanent electricity:
8484 (1) The structure be secured from unauthorized entry.
8585 (2) The electrical service code be compliant and
8686 complete.
8787 (3) All rough plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and
8888 framing inspections be completed and approved.
8989 (4) All drywall be installed, with the exception of
9090 finishing.
9191 (5) All electrical circuit wires that are not energized
9292 be secured to the side of the panel box.
9393 (6) Any exterior outlet which has been energized have
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123123 ground fault breakers installed. A minimum of one exterior
124124 outlet shall be provided.
125125 (7) All electrical service be ready for service, as
126126 certified by a state licensed electrical contractor.
127127 (8) All heating and cooling equipment be installed
128128 in-structure. Equipment shall be vented based on manufacturing
129129 specifications. Forced air equipment shall have a return air
130130 with a MERV 4 filter, and plenum and supply air.
131131 (9) The building permit be obtained by a licensed
132132 residential home builder, as defined by Section 34-14A-2, or a
133133 general contractor.
134134 (10) A request for temporary-permanent electricity be
135135 made by the permittee.
136136 (11) The electrical service be obtained in the name of
137137 the permittee.
138138 (12) Compliance with any requirements set forth by the
139139 provider of electricity.
140140 (e) In addition to any requirement for the installation
141141 or activation of temporary-permanent electricity under
142142 subsection (d), any municipality or county that enforces and
143143 adopts building codes may require any of the following prior
144144 to the installation or activation of temporary-permanent gas:
145145 (1) The structure be secured from unauthorized entry.
146146 (2) A gas line be installed in accordance with
147147 applicable codes between the heating equipment and the gas
148148 meter location.
149149 (3) Gas lines not connected to an appliance be capped.
150150 (4) A temporary pressure test be performed for the
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180180 purposes of installing temporary gas for heat.
181181 (5) A final pressure test be performed for permanent
182182 gas service.
183183 (6) Gas service be certified by a licensed gas fitter
184184 as being ready for service.
185185 (7) Heating and cooling equipment be installed
186186 in-structure and be vented based on manufacturing
187187 specifications.
188188 (8) Forced air equipment have a return air with a MERV
189189 4 filter, and plenum and supply air.
190190 (9) A building permit be obtained by a licensed
191191 residential home builder, as defined by Section 34-14A-2, or
192192 general contractor.
193193 (10) A request for temporary-permanent gas be made by
194194 the permittee.
195195 (11) Electrical service be obtained in the name of the
196196 permittee.
197197 (12) Proof that the gas system is complete, is code
198198 compliant, and has passed all required inspections.
199199 (13) Compliance with any other requirements of the
200200 provider of gas.
201201 (f) For the installation or activation of
202202 temporary-permanent electricity or temporary-permanent gas, no
203203 additional requirements may be placed on the contractor beyond
204204 the requirements of this section.
205205 (g) Any structure granted temporary-permanent
206206 electricity or temporary-permanent gas pursuant to this
207207 section shall not be occupied, and permanent electricity or
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237237 permanent gas shall be permitted, only upon proof that all
238238 required final inspections by the municipality or county have
239239 been completed.
240240 Section 2. This act shall become effective on the first
241241 day of the third month following its passage and approval by
242242 the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.
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