Building Code Bill Up for House Vote on Tuesday;
Urgent Call for Members Needed to Attend
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HB 264, the Energy and Building
Code (Wren-Montgomery), passed out of
the House Commerce Committee on Wednesday by a 12-1 vote. The bill is now on
the calendar for a vote in the House next Tuesday, January 26.
On Thursday, the League of
Municipalities sent out an email to all of its members stating that they are
opposed to our bill. They felt
that the bill would restrict communities from adopting or amending their local
codes. The HBAA has agreed in
principal to language that makes them comfortable with that issue and which
will take this concern off the table.
The only remaining issue with the
bill is related to fire sprinklers. This bill prohibits local governments from
mandating residential sprinkler installation and instead leaves the decision of
installing fire sprinklers up to consumers. As expected, the fire service has
come out in opposition to the bill. They want to make residential fire
sprinklers mandatory, and the HBAA is 100% opposed.
We anticipate the fire service
officials being out in full force on Tuesday. This week they spread
misinformation out to cities around the state in an effort to convince our
friends in the legislature to vote against the bill. This is the showdown. Legislators have only one issue to
decide. Either they are for
consumers having the choice on whether to install sprinklers or they are for
mandating them. It really is that
simple.
The HBAA is calling out the troops
on this issue. It is critical that we have members at the State House on
Tuesday when the bill comes up for vote. If we fail to pass this bill on
Tuesday, the chances of getting this bill passed will all but go away for this
year.
We need as many members as possible
to come to Montgomery on Tuesday. The HBAA is working with your local
associations on arranging transportation to bring members to the State House.
Your help is vital to the passage
of this bill. Please call the HBAA at 1-800-745-4222 to let us know that you're
coming on Tuesday.
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