H.B. 328

             1     

CONSTRUCTION AND FIRE CODES AMENDMENTS

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Michael E. Noel

             5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends the State Construction and Fire Codes Act.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    allows a county legislative body of a county of the fourth, fifth, or sixth class to
             13      modify the State Fire Code Act within the unincorporated areas of the county if
             14      certain conditions are met;
             15          .    allows a county legislative body of a county of the fourth, fifth, or sixth class to
             16      modify the State Construction Code within the unincorporated areas of the county if
             17      certain conditions are met; and
             18          .    makes technical and conforming changes.
             19      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             20          None
             21      Other Special Clauses:
             22          None
             23      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             24      AMENDS:
             25           15A-1-403 , as enacted by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 14
             26           15A-2-101 , as enacted by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 14
             27           15A-2-102 , as enacted by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 14


             28     
             29      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             30          Section 1. Section 15A-1-403 is amended to read:
             31           15A-1-403. Adoption of State Fire Code.
             32          (1) (a) The State Fire Code is:
             33          (i) a code promulgated by a nationally recognized code authority that is adopted by the
             34      Legislature under this section with any modifications; and
             35          (ii) a code to which cities, counties, fire protection districts, and the state shall adhere
             36      in safeguarding life and property from the hazards of fire and explosion.
             37          (b) On and after July 1, 2010, the State Fire Code is the State Fire Code in effect on
             38      July 1, 2010, until in accordance with this section:
             39          (i) a new State Fire Code is adopted; or
             40          (ii) one or more provisions of the State Fire Code are amended or repealed in
             41      accordance with this section.
             42          (c) A provision of the State Fire Code may be applicable:
             43          (i) to the entire state; or
             44          (ii) within a city, county, or fire protection district.
             45          (2) (a) The Legislature shall adopt a State Fire Code by enacting legislation that adopts
             46      a nationally recognized fire code with any modifications.
             47          (b) Legislation enacted under this Subsection (2) shall state that it takes effect on the
             48      July 1 after the day on which the legislation is enacted, unless otherwise stated in the
             49      legislation.
             50          (c) Subject to Subsection (5), a State Fire Code adopted by the Legislature is the State
             51      Fire Code until in accordance with this section the Legislature adopts a new State Fire Code by:
             52          (i) adopting a new State Fire Code in its entirety; or
             53          (ii) amending or repealing one or more provisions of the State Fire Code.
             54          (3) (a) The board shall, by no later than November 30 of each year, recommend to the
             55      Business and Labor Interim Committee whether the Legislature should:
             56          (i) amend or repeal one or more provisions of the State Fire Code; or
             57          (ii) in a year of a regularly scheduled update of a nationally recognized fire code, adopt
             58      with any modifications the nationally recognized fire code.


             59          (b) The board may recommend legislative action related to the State Fire Code:
             60          (i) on its own initiative; or
             61          (ii) upon the receipt of a request by a city, county, or fire protection district that the
             62      board recommend legislative action related to the State Fire Code.
             63          (c) Within 45 days after receipt of a request under Subsection (3)(b), the board shall
             64      direct the division to convene an informal hearing concerning the request.
             65          (d) The board shall conduct a hearing under this section in accordance with the rules of
             66      the board.
             67          (e) The board shall decide whether to include in the report required under Subsection
             68      (3)(a) whether to recommend the legislative action raised by a request.
             69          (f) Within 15 days following the completion of a hearing of the board under this
             70      Subsection (3), the board shall direct the division to notify the entity that made the request of
             71      the board's decision regarding the request. The division shall provide the notice:
             72          (i) in writing; and
             73          (ii) in a form prescribed by the board.
             74          (4) If the Business and Labor Interim Committee decides to recommend legislative
             75      action to the Legislature, the Business and Labor Interim Committee shall prepare legislation
             76      for consideration by the Legislature in the next general session that, if passed by the
             77      Legislature, would:
             78          (a) adopt a new State Fire Code in its entirety; or
             79          (b) amend or repeal one or more provisions of the State Fire Code.
             80          (5) (a) Notwithstanding Subsection (3), the board may, in accordance with Title 63G,
             81      Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, amend a State Fire Code if the board
             82      determines that waiting for legislative action in the next general legislative session would:
             83          (i) cause an imminent peril to the public health, safety, or welfare; or
             84          (ii) place a person in violation of federal or other state law.
             85          (b) If the board amends a State Fire Code in accordance with this Subsection (5), the
             86      board shall:
             87          (i) publish the State Fire Code with the amendment; and
             88          (ii) notify the Business and Labor Interim Committee of the adoption, including a copy
             89      of an analysis by the board identifying specific reasons and justifications for its findings.


             90          (c) If not formally adopted by the Legislature at its next annual general session, an
             91      amendment to a State Fire Code adopted under this Subsection (5) is repealed on the July 1
             92      immediately following the next annual general session that follows the adoption of the
             93      amendment.
             94          (6) (a) A legislative body of a political subdivision may enact an ordinance that is more
             95      restrictive in its fire code requirements than the State Fire Code:
             96          (i) in order to meet a public safety need of the political subdivision; and
             97          (ii) subject to the requirements of this Subsection (6).
             98          (b) A legislative body of a political subdivision that enacts an ordinance under this
             99      section on or after July 1, 2010 shall:
             100          (i) notify the board in writing at least 30 days before the day on which the legislative
             101      body enacts the ordinance and include in the notice a statement as to the proposed subject
             102      matter of the ordinance; and
             103          (ii) after the legislative body enacts the ordinance, report to the board before the board
             104      makes the report required under Subsection (6)(c), including providing the board:
             105          (A) a copy of the ordinance enacted under this Subsection (6); and
             106          (B) a description of the public safety need that is the basis of enacting the ordinance.
             107          (c) The board shall submit to the Business and Labor Interim Committee each year
             108      with the recommendations submitted in accordance with Subsection (3):
             109          (i) a list of the ordinances enacted under this Subsection (6) during the fiscal year
             110      immediately proceeding the report; and
             111          (ii) recommendations, if any, for legislative action related to an ordinance enacted
             112      under this Subsection (6).
             113          (d) (i) The state fire marshal shall keep an indexed copy of an ordinance enacted under
             114      this Subsection (6).
             115          (ii) The state fire marshal shall make a copy of an ordinance enacted under this
             116      Subsection (6) available on request.
             117          (e) The board may make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
             118      Administrative Rulemaking Act, to establish procedures for a legislative body of a political
             119      subdivision to follow to provide the notice and report required under this Subsection (6).
             120          (7) (a) Subject to the requirements described in this Subsection (7), a county legislative


             121      body of a county of the fourth, fifth, or sixth class, as defined in Section 17-50-501 , may, by
             122      ordinance, modify the State Fire Code adopted under Title 15A, Chapter 5, State Fire Code
             123      Act, within the unincorporated areas of the county to meet a need that exists within the
             124      unincorporated areas of the county.
             125          (b) A county legislative body that enacts an ordinance described in Subsection (7)(a)
             126      shall:
             127          (i) at least 30 days before the day on which the county legislative body enacts the
             128      ordinance, give the board written notice that includes:
             129          (A) a statement that the county legislative body intends to enact the ordinance; and
             130          (B) a description of the ordinance; and
             131          (ii) at least 30 days after the day on which the county legislative body enacts the
             132      ordinance, submit a written report to the board that includes:
             133          (A) a copy of the ordinance; and
             134          (B) a description of the need within the unincorporated areas of the county that is the
             135      basis for enacting the ordinance.
             136          (c) The board shall submit a copy of each ordinance that the board receives under
             137      Subsection (7)(b)(ii) to the Business and Labor Interim Committee at the same time the board
             138      submits the recommendations described in Subsection (3).
             139          (d) The State Fire Marshal Division, created in Section 53-7-103 shall:
             140          (i) keep an indexed copy of each ordinance a county legislative body enacts under this
             141      Subsection (7); and
             142          (ii) make a copy of each ordinance available to the public upon request.
             143          (e) An ordinance described in Subsection (7)(a) is not valid if the county legislative
             144      body fails to timely comply with the requirements described in this Subsection (7).
             145          (f) The board may make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
             146      Administrative Rulemaking Act, to establish procedures for a county legislative body to
             147      provide the notice described in Subsection (7)(b)(i) and the report described in Subsection
             148      (7)(b)(ii).
             149          Section 2. Section 15A-2-101 is amended to read:
             150           15A-2-101. Title -- Adoption of code.
             151          (1) This chapter is known as the "Adoption of State Construction Code."


             152          (2) In accordance with Chapter 1, Part 2, State Construction Code Administration Act,
             153      the Legislature repeals the State Construction Code in effect on July 1, 2010, and adopts the
             154      following as the State Construction Code:
             155          (a) this chapter;
             156          (b) Chapter 3, Statewide Amendments Incorporated as Part of State Construction
             157      Code; and
             158          (c) Chapter 4, Local Amendments Incorporated as Part of State Construction Code.
             159          (3) (a) Subject to the requirements described in this Subsection (3), a county legislative
             160      body of a county of the fourth, fifth, or sixth class, as defined in Section 17-50-501 , may, by
             161      ordinance, modify the State Construction Code adopted under Title 15A, Chapter 2, Adoption
             162      of State Construction Code, within the unincorporated areas of the county to meet a need that
             163      exists within the unincorporated areas of the county.
             164          (b) A county legislative body that enacts an ordinance described in Subsection (3)(a)
             165      shall:
             166          (i) at least 30 days before the day on which the county legislative body enacts the
             167      ordinance, give the commission written notice that includes:
             168          (A) a statement that the county legislative body intends to enact the ordinance; and
             169          (B) a description of the ordinance; and
             170          (ii) at least 30 days after the day on which the county legislative body enacts the
             171      ordinance, submit a written report to the commission that includes:
             172          (A) a copy of the ordinance; and
             173          (B) a description of the need within the unincorporated areas of the county that is the
             174      basis for enacting the ordinance.
             175          (c) The commission shall submit a copy of each ordinance that the commission
             176      receives under Subsection (3)(b)(ii) to the Business and Labor Interim Committee at the same
             177      time the commission submits the recommendations described in Subsection 15A-1-204 (3).
             178          (d) The Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, created in Section
             179      58-1-103 shall:
             180          (i) keep an indexed copy of each ordinance a county legislative body enacts under this
             181      Subsection (3); and
             182          (ii) make a copy of each ordinance available to the public upon request.


             183          (e) An ordinance described in Subsection (3)(a) is not valid if the county legislative
             184      body fails to timely comply with the requirements described in this Subsection (3).
             185          (f) The commission may make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
             186      Administrative Rulemaking Act, to establish procedures for a county legislative body to
             187      provide the notice described in Subsection (3)(b)(i) and the report described in Subsection
             188      (3)(b)(ii).
             189          Section 3. Section 15A-2-102 is amended to read:
             190           15A-2-102. Definitions.
             191          As used in this chapter and Chapters 3 and 4:
             192          (1) "Commission" means the Uniform Building Code Commission created in Section
             193      15A-1-203 .
             194          [(1)] (2) "HUD Code" means the Federal Manufactured Housing Construction and
             195      Safety Standards Act, as issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and
             196      published in 24 C.F.R. Parts 3280 and 3282 (as revised April 1, 1990).
             197          [(2)] (3) "IBC" means the edition of the International Building Code adopted under
             198      Section 15A-2-103 .
             199          [(3)] (4) "IECC" means the edition of the International Energy Conservation Code
             200      adopted under Section 15A-2-103 .
             201          [(4)] (5) "IFGC" means the edition of the International Fuel Gas Code adopted under
             202      Section 15A-2-103 .
             203          [(5)] (6) "IMC" means the edition of the International Mechanical Code adopted under
             204      Section 15A-2-103 .
             205          [(6)] (7) "IPC" means the edition of the International Plumbing Code adopted under
             206      Section 15A-2-103 .
             207          [(7)] (8) "IRC" means the edition of the International Residential Code adopted under
             208      Section 15A-2-103 .
             209          [(8)] (9) "NEC" means the edition of the National Electrical Code adopted under
             210      Section 15A-2-103 .
             211          [(9)] (10) "UWUI" means the edition of the Utah Wildland Urban Interface Code
             212      adopted under Section 15A-2-103 .





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