2025 -- H 5803
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LC002163
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STATE BUILDING CODE
Introduced By: Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi
Date Introduced: February 27, 2025
Referred To: House Municipal Government & Housing
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Sections 23-27.3-100, 23-27.3-100.1 and 23-27.3-108.2 of the General Laws 1
in Chapter 23-27.3 entitled "State Building Code" are hereby amended to read as follows: 2
23-27.3-100.0. Scope. 3
This chapter governs the state building code and the establishment, operation and 4
maintenance of electronic permitting platforms for state and local permitting. 5
23-27.3-100.1. Short title — Applicability. 6
This act shall be known as the “Rhode Island state building code” referred to throughout 7
this chapter as “this code”, which includes a rehabilitation building and fire code for existing 8
buildings and structures. In accordance with this chapter, this act controls: 9
(1) The construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, demolition, removal, inspection, 10
issuance, and revocation of permits or licenses, installation of equipment, classification, and 11
definition of any building or structure, and use or occupancy of all buildings and structure and parts 12
of them; 13
(2) The rehabilitation and maintenance of existing buildings; 14
(3) The standards or requirements for materials to be used in connection with buildings and 15
structures, including but not limited for safety, ingress and egress, energy conservation, and sanitary 16
conditions; 17
(4) The establishment of reasonable fees for the issuance of licenses and permits in 18
connection with buildings and structures; 19
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(5) The establishment and maintenance of an electronic permitting platform and regulations 1
related to the use of the platform for use in all matters related to the applications and review for 2
state and local building permits, municipal zoning applications, municipal planning applications, 3
applications and permits for the department of environmental management, applications and 4
permits for the department of transportation and applications and permits for the coastal resources 5
management council. 6
Except as those matters are otherwise provided for in the general laws or in the rules and 7
regulations authorized for promulgation under the provisions of this code. 8
23-27.3-108.2. Duties of the state building code commissioner. [Effective January 1, 9
2025.] 10
(a) The state building code commissioner shall have the authority to enforce and perform 11
the duties required by the state building code, chapter 27.3 of this title, and all codes referenced 12
therein and adopted thereunder, and all other provisions of the general laws and public laws insofar 13
as such powers and duties relate to building codes and building inspection; provided, however, that 14
for the purposes of this section structures constituting tents and/or membrane frame structures as 15
defined in this state building code and any regulations promulgated hereunder shall be subject to 16
an annual certification process to be established by the state building commissioner in conjunction 17
with the state fire marshal and shall not be subject to recurring permit and fee requirements as 18
otherwise required by this code. 19
(b) The state building code commissioner shall work to standardize building code 20
interpretations across the state with input from the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns and 21
ensure consistent enforcement of the code throughout the state. 22
(c) Permit fees. Permit fees for the projects construction under this chapter shall be 23
established by the committee. The fees shall be deposited as general revenues. 24
(d)(1) Building permit fees. The state building official or the local cities and towns, as 25
applicable, shall charge each permit applicant an additional one-tenth percent (0.1%) levy of the 26
total construction cost for each commercial permit issued, and two-tenths percent (0.2%) levy of 27
the total construction cost for each residential permit issued. The levy shall be limited to a 28
maximum of one hundred dollars ($100) for each of the permits issued for one- and two-family (2) 29
dwellings. This additional levy shall be transmitted monthly to the state building office at the 30
department of business regulation; and 31
(i) Fifty percent (50%) of this additional levy on residential permits and one hundred 32
percent (100%) of this additional levy on commercial permits shall be used to staff and support the 33
purchase or lease and operation of a web-accessible service and/or system to be utilized by the state 34
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and municipalities for uniform, statewide electronic plan review, permit management, and 1
inspection system and other programs described in this chapter. This portion of the fee levy shall 2
be deposited as general revenues. 3
(ii) Fifty percent (50%) of this additional levy on residential permits shall be transferred to 4
the department of labor and training and shall be deposited into the contractor training restricted 5
receipt account, which shall be exempt from the indirect cost recovery provisions of § 35-4-27. 6
Subject to appropriation by the general assembly, these funds shall be used to provide contractor 7
training grants for programs that shall include, but are not limited to, minority business enterprises 8
and state local building officials. 9
(2) Fees for electronic permitting from other state agencies and cities and towns. The local 10
cities and towns and any state agency utilizing the electronic permitting platform, except as set 11
forth in this section, shall charge each applicant in accordance with §§ 42-13-10, 42-17.1-46, 45-12
23-36.1, 45-24-58.1, 45-53-16 and 46-23-47 as applicable. 13
(d) Electronic permitting. 14
(1) For purposes of this section, "electronic permitting" means the use of computer-based 15
tools and services through a platform which automates and streamlines the application and permit 16
process to include, but not be limited to, task-specific tools for applications, submission of plans, 17
checklists, reports and other documents, reviews, permitting, scheduling, review and project 18
tracking, comments from staff and committees, fee calculation and collection; and workflow and 19
report management 20
(2) On or before July 1, 2013, the building commissioner shall develop a standard statewide 21
process for electronic plan review, permit management, and inspection. The process shall include, 22
but not be limited to: applications; submission of building plans and plans for developments and 23
plots; plan review; permitting; inspections; inspection scheduling; project tracking; fee calculation 24
and collections; and workflow and report management. 25
(3) On or before December 1, 2013, the building commissioner, with the assistance of the 26
office of regulatory reform, shall implement the standard statewide process for electronic plan 27
review, permit management, and inspection. In addition, the building commissioner shall develop 28
a technology and implementation plan for a standard web-accessible service or system to be utilized 29
by the state and municipalities for uniform, statewide electronic plan review, permit management, 30
and inspection for building permits. The plan shall include, but not be limited to: applications; 31
submission of building plans and plans for developments and plots; plan review; permitting; 32
inspections; inspection scheduling; project tracking; fee calculation and collections; and workflow 33
and report management. 34
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(4) The building commissioner, with the assistance of the office of regulatory reform, shall 1
implement the standard statewide process for electronic permitting to be utilized pursuant to this 2
section and §§ 23-27.3-115.6, 42-13-10, 42-17.1-46, 45-23-36.1, 45-24-58.1, 45-53-16 and 46-23-3
27. In addition, the building commissioner shall develop a technology and implementation plan for 4
one standard web-accessible service or system to be utilized by the state and municipalities for 5
these purposes and shall cause the purchase or lease and operation of one web-accessible service 6
and/or system to be utilized by the state and municipalities for electronic permitting (“electronic 7
permitting platform”). 8
(2) On or before July 1, 2013, the building commissioner shall develop a standard statewide 9
process for electronic plan review, permit management, and inspection. The process shall include, 10
but not be limited to: applications; submission of building plans and plans for developments and 11
plots; plan review; permitting; inspections; inspection scheduling; project tracking; fee calculation 12
and collections; and workflow and report management. 13
(3) On or before December 1, 2013, the building commissioner, with the assistance of the 14
office of regulatory reform, shall implement the standard statewide process for electronic plan 15
review, permit management, and inspection. In addition, the building commissioner shall develop 16
a technology and implementation plan for a standard web-accessible service or system to be utilized 17
by the state and municipalities for uniform, statewide electronic plan review, permit management, 18
and inspection. The plan shall include, but not be limited to: applications; submission of building 19
plans and plans for developments and plots; plan review; permitting; inspections; inspection 20
scheduling; project tracking; fee calculation and collections; and workflow and report management. 21
(e)The building commissioner shall, upon request by any state contractor described in § 22
37-2-38.1, review, and when all conditions for certification have been met, certify to the state 23
controller that the payment conditions contained in § 37-2-38.1 have been met. 24
(f)The building commissioner shall coordinate the development and implementation of this 25
section with the state fire marshal to assist with the implementation of § 23-28.2-6. On or before 26
January 1, 2022, the building commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement 27
the provisions of this section and §§ 23-27.3-115.6, 42-13-10, 42-17.1-46, 45-23-36.1, 45-24-58.1, 28
45-53-16, and 46-23-27. 29
(g) The building commissioner shall submit, in coordination with the state fire marshal, a 30
report to the governor and general assembly on or before April 1, 2013, and each April 1 thereafter, 31
providing the status of the web-accessible service and/or system implementation and any 32
recommendations for process or system improvement. In every report submitted on or after April, 33
2024, the building commissioner shall provide the following information: 34
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(1) The identity of every municipality in full compliance with the provisions § 23-27.3-1
115.6 and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the provisions of this section; 2
(2) The identity of every municipality failing to fully implement and comply with the 3
provisions of § 23-27.3-115.6 and/or the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the 4
provisions of this section, and the nature, extent, and basis or reason for the failure or 5
noncompliance; and 6
(3) Recommendations to achieve compliance by all municipalities with the provisions of § 7
23-27.3-115.6 and the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this section. 8
(h)The building commissioner shall assist with facilitating the goals and objectives set forth 9
in § 28-42-84(a)(9). 10
(i) The state building code commissioner shall serve as the executive secretary to the state 11
building code standards committee. 12
(j) In addition to the state building code commissioner’s other duties as set forth in this 13
chapter, and notwithstanding the same, the state building code commissioner and the 14
commissioner’s staff shall assume the authority for the purposes of enforcing the provisions of the 15
state building code in a municipality where there is no local building official or alternate as detailed 16
in § 23-27.3-107.2, or where there are no local building inspectors. 17
SECTION 2. Section 45-23-36.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-23 entitled 18
"Subdivision of Land" is hereby amended to read as follows: 19
45-23-36.1. Electronic permitting. 20
(a) On or before October 1, 2025, every municipality in the state shall adopt and implement 21
the electronic permitting platform established pursuant to § 23-27.3-108.2 to utilize for all 22
development applications filed under this chapter. For purposes of this section, “electronic 23
permitting” means use of computer-based tools and services that automate and streamline the 24
application process to include, but not be limited to, task-specific tools for: applications; submission 25
of plans; completed checklists and checklist documents; reports; plan review; permitting; 26
scheduling; certificates of completeness and incompleteness; supplemental submissions; project 27
tracking; staff and technical review committee comments; fee calculation and collection. 28
(b) The state building commissioner, with the assistance of the office of regulatory reform 29
and the division of statewide planning, pursuant to the provisions of § 23-27.3-108.2 may 30
promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section. 31
(c) The local towns and cities shall charge each applicant an additional one-tenth of one 32
percent (.001%) of the total application fee for each application submitted. This additional amount 33
shall be transmitted monthly to the state building office at the department of business regulation, 34
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and shall be used to staff and support the purchase or lease and operation of one web-accessible 1
service and/or system to be utilized by the state and municipalities for the uniform, statewide 2
electronic submission, review and processing of development applications as set forth in this 3
section. 4
(d) On or before October 1, 2025, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to 5
the contrary, all acts, requirements, filings, and documents necessary to comply with the application 6
process shall be conducted by means of electronic permitting. 7
(e) The department of business regulation shall reimburse annual fees and costs associated 8
with compliance with this program in accordance with procedures established by the department. 9
SECTION 3. Section 45-24-58.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-24 entitled "Zoning 10
Ordinances" is hereby amended to read as follows: 11
45-24-58.1. Electronic permitting. 12
(a) On or before October 1, 2025, every municipality in the state shall adopt and implement 13
the electronic permitting platform established pursuant to § 23-27.3-108.2 to utilize for all 14
development applications under this chapter. For purposes of this section, “electronic permitting” 15
means use of computer-based tools and services that automate and streamline the application 16
process to include, but not be limited to, task-specific tools for: applications; submission of plans; 17
completed checklists and checklist documents; reports; plan review; permitting; scheduling; project 18
tracking; staff and technical review committee comments; fee calculation and collection. 19
(b) The state building commissioner, with the assistance of the office of regulatory reform 20
and the division of statewide planning, pursuant to the provisions of § 23-27.3-108.2 may 21
promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section. 22
(c) The local towns and cities shall charge each applicant an additional one-tenth of one 23
percent (.001%) of the total application fee for each application submitted. This additional amount 24
shall be transmitted monthly to the state building office at the department of business regulation, 25
and shall be used to staff and support the purchase or lease and operation of one web-accessible 26
service and/or system to be utilized by the state and municipalities for the uniform, statewide 27
electronic submission, review and processing of development applications as set forth in this 28
section. 29
(d) On or before October 1, 2025, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to 30
the contrary, all acts, requirements, filings, and documents necessary to comply with the application 31
process shall be conducted by means of electronic permitting. 32
(e) The department of business regulation shall reimburse annual fees and costs associated 33
with compliance with this program in accordance with procedures established by the department. 34
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SECTION 4. Section 45-53-16 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-53 entitled "Low and 1
Moderate Income Housing" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
45-53-16. Electronic permitting. 3
(a) On or before October 1, 2025, every municipality in the state shall adopt and implement 4
the electronic permitting platform established pursuant to § 23-27.3-108.2 to utilize for all 5
development applications under this chapter. For purposes of this section, “electronic permitting” 6
means use of computer-based tools and services that automate and streamline the application 7
process to include, but not be limited to, task-specific tools for: applications; submission of plans; 8
completed checklists and checklist documents; reports; plan review; permitting; scheduling; project 9
tracking; staff and technical review committee comments; fee calculation and collection. 10
(b) The state building commissioner, with the assistance of the office of regulatory reform 11
and the division of statewide planning, pursuant to the provisions of § 23-27.3-108.2 may 12
promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section. 13
(c) The local towns and cities shall charge each applicant an additional one-tenth of one 14
percent (.001%) of the total application fee for each application submitted. This additional amount 15
shall be transmitted monthly to the state building office at the department of business regulation, 16
and shall be used to staff and support the purchase or lease and operation of one web-accessible 17
service and/or system to be utilized by the state and municipalities for the uniform, statewide 18
electronic submission, review and processing of development applications as set forth in this 19
section. 20
(d) On or before October 1, 2025, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to 21
the contrary, all acts, requirements, filings, and documents necessary to comply with the application 22
process shall be conducted by means of electronic permitting. 23
(e) The department of business regulation shall reimburse annual fees and costs associated 24
with compliance with this program in accordance with procedures established by the department. 25
SECTION 5. Section 23-27.3-100.1.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-27.3 entitled 26
"State Building Code" is hereby repealed. 27
23-27.3-100.1.1. Chapter title — Applicability. 28
This chapter shall be known as the Rhode Island State Building Code hereinafter referred 29
to as this code. This chapter shall control: 30
(1) The construction, reconstruction, alteration, repair, demolition, removal, inspection, 31
issuance, and revocation of permits or licenses, installation of equipment, classification and 32
definition of any building or structure, and use or occupancy of all buildings and structure and parts 33
thereof; 34
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(2) The rehabilitation and maintenance of existing buildings; 1
(3) The standards or requirements for materials to be used in connection therewith, 2
including, but not limited, for safety, ingress and egress, energy conservation, and sanitary 3
conditions; 4
(4) The establishment of reasonable fees for the issuance of licenses and permits in 5
connection therewith; 6
except as such matters are otherwise provided for in the general laws, or in the rules and 7
regulations authorized for promulgation under the provisions of this code. 8
SECTION 6. Chapter 42-13 of the General Laws entitled "Department of Transportation" 9
is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 10
42-13-10. Electronic Permitting. 11
(a) On or before October 1, 2026, the department of transportation shall adopt and 12
implement the electronic permitting platform established pursuant to § 23-27.3-108.2 to utilize for 13
all applications filed under this chapter. For purposes of this section, “electronic permitting” means 14
use of computer-based tools and services that automate and streamline the application process to 15
include, but not be limited to, task-specific tools for: applications; submission of plans; documents; 16
reports; plan review; permitting; scheduling; supplemental submissions; project tracking; staff and 17
committee comments; fee calculation and collection. 18
(b) The state building commissioner, with the assistance of the office of regulatory reform 19
and the division of statewide planning, pursuant to the provisions of § 23-27.3-108.2 may 20
promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section. 21
(c) The department of transportation shall charge each applicant an additional one-tenth of 22
one percent (.001%) of the total application fee for each application submitted. This additional 23
amount shall be transmitted monthly to the state building office and shall be used to staff and 24
support the purchase or lease and operation of one web-accessible service and/or system to be 25
utilized for the uniform, statewide electronic submission, review and processing of applications for 26
permits and approvals. 27
(d) On or before October 1, 2025, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to 28
the contrary, all acts, requirements, filings, and documents necessary to comply with the application 29
process shall be conducted by means of electronic permitting. 30
SECTION 7. Chapter 42-17.1 of the General Laws entitled "Department of Environmental 31
Management" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 32
42-17.1-46. Electronic Permitting. 33
(a) On or before October 1, 2026, the department of environmental management shall adopt 34
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and implement the electronic permitting platform established pursuant to § 23-27.3-108.2 to utilize 1
for all applications filed under this chapter. For purposes of this section, “electronic permitting” 2
means use of computer-based tools and services that automate and streamline the application 3
process to include, but not be limited to, task-specific tools for: applications; submission of plans; 4
documents; reports; plan review; permitting; scheduling; supplemental submissions; project 5
tracking; staff and committee comments; fee calculation and collection. 6
(b) The state building commissioner, with the assistance of the office of regulatory reform 7
and the division of statewide planning, pursuant to the provisions of § 23-27.3-108.2 may 8
promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section. 9
(c) The department of environmental management shall charge each applicant an additional 10
one-tenth of one percent (.001%) of the total application fee for each application submitted. This 11
additional amount shall be transmitted monthly to the state building office and shall be used to staff 12
and support the purchase or lease and operation of one web-accessible service and/or system to be 13
utilized for the uniform, statewide electronic submission, review and processing of applications for 14
permits and approvals. 15
(d) On or before October 1, 2025, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to 16
the contrary, all acts, requirements, filings, and documents necessary to comply with the application 17
process shall be conducted by means of electronic permitting. 18
SECTION 8. Chapter 46-23 of the General Laws entitled "Coastal Resources Management 19
Council" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 20
46-23-27. Electronic Permitting. 21
(a) On or before October 1, 2026, the coastal resources management council shall adopt 22
and implement the electronic permitting platform established pursuant to § 23-27.3-108.2 to utilize 23
for all applications filed under this chapter. For purposes of this section, “electronic permitting” 24
means use of computer-based tools and services that automate and streamline the application 25
process to include, but not be limited to, task-specific tools for: applications; submission of plans; 26
documents; reports; plan review; permitting; scheduling; supplemental submissions; project 27
tracking; staff and committee comments; fee calculation and collection. 28
(b) The state building commissioner, with the assistance of the office of regulatory reform 29
and the division of statewide planning, pursuant to the provisions of § 23-27.3-108.2 may 30
promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section. 31
(c) The coastal resources management council shall charge each applicant an additional 32
one-tenth of one percent (.001%) of the total application fee for each application submitted. This 33
additional amount shall be transmitted monthly to the state building office and shall be used to staff 34
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and support the purchase or lease and operation of one web-accessible service and/or system to be 1
utilized for the uniform, statewide electronic submission, review and processing of applications for 2
permits and approvals. 3
(d) On or before October 1, 2025, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to 4
the contrary, all acts, requirements, filings, and documents necessary to comply with the application 5
process shall be conducted by means of electronic permitting. 6
(e) The department of business regulation shall reimburse annual fees and costs associated 7
with compliance with this program in accordance with procedures established by the department. 8
SECTION 9. This act shall take effect upon passage. 9
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- STATE BUILDING CODE
***
This act would provide for the establishment and operation of an electronic permitting 1
platform for all state and local permitting. 2
This act would take effect upon passage. 3
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