Priorities of the Alliance as of July 27, 2016

Post date: Aug 17, 2016 10:0:33 PM

Alliance for Regulatory Coordination

Priorities

As of July 27, 2016

1) Stop the lapsing of funds from the Safety and Buildings Appropriation.

Between 2001 and 2016, over $17.4 million of DSPS Industry Services fee revenue has been lapsed to the state general fund. That is more than $96,000 per month that was collected but not spent on the safety and building programs and services for which the fees were paid.

2) Encourage the DSPS to maintain a focus on customers with customer involvement in DSPS decisions regarding services of the Industry Services Division.

The Alliance supports use of advisory code councils for periodic updating of administrative codes concerning safety and buildings.

3) Improve the deployment of resources among programs and services for safety and buildings.

The Alliance supports the use of consistent criteria for deployment of resources among programs and services related to safety and buildings.

4) Improve coordination of state and municipal regulatory efforts for safety and buildings.

ARC members believe that state policies can be most efficiently and effectively administered through cooperative efforts of state and municipal programs and personnel.

5) Encourage remedial legislation on carbon monoxide detectors in residential commercial buildings.

ARC members want to focus on protecting sleeping areas from the hazard of carbon monoxide while eliminating the statewide mandate for periodic inspection of carbon monoxide detector installations.

6) Encourage legislation that would allow a building owner the choice of having newer national model codes and standards apply to their building construction project.

ARC members believe owner’s choice of code application will help spur economic development while promoting safe buildings. Use of new codes and standards can also result in savings on insurance premiums.

7) Encourage code update activity specifically for:

• • Implementing electrical inspection for commercial buildings under 2007 Wis. Act 63 and 2013 Wis. Act 143.

  • Reviewing the 2015 editions of ICC codes to update the State Commercial Building Code.

  • Reviewing the 2015 edition of NFPA 1 to update the State Fire Prevention Code.

  • Reviewing the State Uniform Plumbing Code for necessary updates and clarifications.

8) Participate in Wisconsin Emergency Management efforts to create Building Safety Evaluation Strike Teams to help respond to disasters.

ARC members encourage disaster mitigation through use of appropriate safety codes, and they encourage disaster response by qualified volunteers who help assess building safety.

9) Explore the idea for statewide inspection of commercial building construction.

ARC members believe exploration is appropriate in light of the gap that exists between the Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code and the Wisconsin Uniform Commercial Building Code. While the dwelling code requires inspections, the commercial building code does not. Exploration will focus on inspections as recommended by the International Code Council. Dialogue will involve all interested ARC members as well as others involved in building design, construction, regulation and emergency response activities throughout Wisconsin.

10) Monitor the activities and recommendations of the Governor’s Commission on Government Reform, Efficiency and Performance as they relate to safety and buildings.

ARC members recognize there are opportunities for greater efficiency through more collaboration between state agencies and between state and municipal programs. However, discontinuing services can adversely affect public safety as well as the business community.