SF 1713

as introduced - 81st Legislature (1999 - 2000) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to the building code; directing the 
  1.3             departments of administration and health to adopt the 
  1.4             newest editions of certain standards; proposing coding 
  1.5             for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 16B. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.] 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [QUALITY OF CODES AND STANDARDS.] The 
  1.9   quality of codes and standards under which plumbing, heating, 
  1.10  cooling equipment, and piping are installed and repaired has a 
  1.11  great impact on the safety and health of the workers in that 
  1.12  industry and of the consumers in Minnesota. 
  1.13     Subd. 2.  [CLIMATE AFFECTS EQUIPMENT.] Minnesota's climate 
  1.14  places maximum stress on heating and cooling equipment and 
  1.15  affects the operation of plumbing systems placing a premium on 
  1.16  the quality of the equipment, the capability of the 
  1.17  installation, and the expertise of the workers. 
  1.18     Subd. 3.  [INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENT.] The industry involved in 
  1.19  an occupation, including the vendors, installers, contractors, 
  1.20  inspectors, and all stakeholders, should have input, oversight, 
  1.21  and approval rights in all of the codes and standards that 
  1.22  regulate that industry. 
  1.23     Subd. 4.  [NATIONAL CODES.] The International Association 
  1.24  of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) promulgates a 
  1.25  Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC), a national code and standard that 
  2.1   regulates the installation and repair of heating and cooling 
  2.2   equipment and piping, and a Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), a 
  2.3   national code and standard that regulates the installation and 
  2.4   repair of plumbing and sanitary systems.  The current Minnesota 
  2.5   Uniform Mechanical Code is from a 1991 edition of the IAPMO-UMC 
  2.6   National Standard. 
  2.7      Subd. 5.  [OPEN COMMITTEES.] The IAPMO committees that 
  2.8   amend the UMC and UPC are open to all members of all aspects of 
  2.9   the plumbing, heating, and cooling industry and have membership 
  2.10  from Minnesota providing input. 
  2.11     Subd. 6.  [CHANGES IN TECHNOLOGY.] The plumbing, heating, 
  2.12  and cooling industry has undergone many changes with new 
  2.13  technology and needs current, timely standards and codes that 
  2.14  reflect national consensus and are constantly undergoing change 
  2.15  and amendment with new code editions approximately every three 
  2.16  years. 
  2.17     Subd. 7.  [COMPATIBLE CODES.] The IAPMO's UMC and UPC are 
  2.18  compatible with every family of related codes and provide ease 
  2.19  of use without conflict with other codes. 
  2.20     Subd. 8.  [ENSURING PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.] The purpose 
  2.21  of all parts of the state building code is to ensure the safety 
  2.22  and health of the citizens of the state of Minnesota.  The 
  2.23  IAPMO's UMC and UPC are the best possible codes to protect that 
  2.24  safety and health. 
  2.25     Sec. 2.  [16B.645] [ADOPT CURRENT EDITION OF CODES.] 
  2.26     Within six months of the effective date of this section, 
  2.27  the departments of administration and health shall adopt the 
  2.28  most current editions of the Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC) and 
  2.29  Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) adopted by the International 
  2.30  Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) with 
  2.31  the necessary amendments to those codes for our climatic 
  2.32  conditions.  The departments shall establish a permanent process 
  2.33  to allow adoption of the newest editions of the UMC and UPC with 
  2.34  appropriate Minnesota amendments within six months of their 
  2.35  national publication by IAPMO.