HCSHB580--BUILDINGCODES
SPONSOR: Houx
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonGovernmentEfficiencyandDownsizingbyavoteof9to
3with1present.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
580.
Thisbillpreventscommunitiesfromadoptingordinances,
resolutions,regulations,codes,orpoliciesthat:
(1)Prohibitorhavetheeffectofprohibitingframedcavitiesin
newdwellingsfrombeingusedasductsorplenums;or
(2)Requireorhavetheeffectofrequiringnewdwellingstohave
awoodframewallcavityinsulationR-valuegreaterthan13;to
utilizeexteriorcontinuousinsulation;tohaveaceiling
insulationR-valuegreaterthan38,ortohaveamaximumair
leakageratelessthanfiveairchangesperhour.
Anownerorpurchaserofadwellingshallnotbeprohibitedfrom
choosingtoinstall,attheowner'sexpense,anyofthefeatures
describedaboveiffeasiblewiththedesignofthedwelling.
Anordinance,resolution,regulation,code,orpolicyadoptedin
violationofthisprohibitionshallbenullandvoid.
ThisbillestablishestheBuildingPermitReformAct."Exempt
homeowner"isdefinedforpurposesofthissectionasaresident,
noncorporateownerofadetached,single-familyresidence.
Thebillprohibitsapoliticalsubdivisionfromrequiringanexempt
homeownertoobtainalicense,certification, orprofessional
registrationorbetestedasaconditionofapplyingforabuilding
permitifallworkisdonebytheowner.Ifthepropertyis
transferredbytheownerwithinoneyearofcompletinganyworkthe
politicalsubdivisionmayassessthehomeownerwithaone-time
administration feenottoexceed$5,000.Applicablebuildingcodes
orinspectionsrequiredbylawarenotprohibited. Theownercan
hireacontractor. Certaininstancestowhichtheseprovisionsdo
notapplyarespecifiedinthebill.
Certainactivitiesforwhichthepoliticalsubdivisionwillnot
requireanexempthomeownertogetapermit,license,variance,or
otherpriorapprovalaredetailedinthebill. Apermitinspectionnotmadewithin10businessdaysofanexempt
homeownerrequestwillresultin50%ofthepermitchargesbeing
refunded. Ifnotmadewithin20businessdays,theinspectionwill
bewaivedandtheexempthomeownercanproceedasiftheinspection
werepassed.Providingthepermitisnotallowedtoexpireprior
torenewal,anexempthomeownerwillnotbechargedafeetoextend
orrenewapermit,nomatterhowmanytimesitisrenewed.
Noexempthomeownerwillbeassessedafineorfeeforunpermitted
workinanamountgreaterthandoublethechargeincurredifa
permithadbeenissuedatthetimeitwasdiscovered. Noexempt
homeownerwillberequiredtoundoworkthathasbeendonewithout
apermitunlessthepoliticalsubdivisioncanprovebyclearand
convincingevidencethattheworkperformeddidnotmeetcodeor
safetystandards.
Thisbillrequiresapoliticalsubdivisiontoapproveordenyan
applicationforabuildingpermitwithin60days.Ifnoresponse
isreceivedwithinthattime,theapplicationwillbeautomatically
approved. Iftheapplicationisdenied,thepoliticalsubdivision
shallprovidetheapplicantwiththereasonsfordenialinwriting.
Iftheapplicationisdeterminedtobeincomplete,thepolitical
subdivisionshallcommunicatethistotheapplicant.
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatbuildingcodesshouldaddress
publichealthandsafetyonly.Recentguidelinesfromthefederal
governmentseektoimproveenergyefficiency,whichisnottherole
ofgovernmentorofabuildingcode.Thesupposedcostsavingsof
energyefficienthomeswillneverberecoupedbytheconsumer
becausesomeoftherecommendations aresocostlyandunnecessary.
HomeownershipisafundamentalcomponentoftheAmericandream
thatshouldn'tbecompromisedbecauseofenergyefficiency
guidelines. Implementingtheseguidelineswouldincreasethecost
ofnewhouses,havingtheunintendedeffectofmakinganewhome
unaffordableforagrowingnumberofpeople,whointurnwouldbe
incentivizedtoremaininolder,lessenergyefficienthomes,thus
defeatingtheverypurposeoftheguidelines.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Houx;
Builders'AssociationAGCofKC;DanielD.Hartman;DaveSir,
AbsoluteComfortSystems;Mid-AmericaCarpentersRegionalCouncil;
andSeanFlower,HomeBuildersAssociation.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatbuildingcodesare
andoughttoremainalocalissuedeterminedbylocalofficialswho areclosertotheneedsandopinionsoftheirconstituentsthanthe
stateis.Eachmunicipalitythathasadoptedthesestandardsdid
sothroughatransparentanddemocraticprocess. Veryfew
municipalities haveadoptedthefederalguidelinesaddressedinthe
bill,havingtheeffectofsinglingoutaverysmallnumberof
Missouriresidentswhomightsupporttheadoptionofthese
guidelines. Thereisaconcernthatrollingbacksomeofthese
codescouldhavetheeffectofdisqualifyingmunicipalities from
federalfundsforotherprojects. Thoughanenergyefficienthome
willcostmoreupfront,therewillbeanetsavingsasutility
costswillremainlowforthedurationofthehome'slifespan.
Energyefficiencyandstrainonthegridhaveasizableimpacton
publichealthandsafety.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwereNicoleMater;Andrew
Savastino,CityofKansasCity;MunicipalLeagueofMetroStL;
AndrewSavastino,CityofKansasCity;BillyDavies;GreaterKC
HomebuildersAssoc.;MaryAliceEnglish,MetropolitanEnergy
Center;MissouriMunicipalLeague;WesRobinson,AmericanChemistry
Council;andWilliamDavies.
OTHERS:Otherstestifyingonthebillsaythatbuildingcodes
shouldnotbeusedtopushapoliticalagenda.
TestifyinginpersononthebillwasSpireMo.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.