Codes Technical Bill: SF 201/HF 539 was heard for the first time today and passed out of the house commerce committee. The bill was amended to include a 5-year code cycle. It continues to draw concerns from groups engaged in code development processes - work continues on language that attempts to satisfy multiple stakeholders. An additional 3 months of implementation time for codes developed in the future appears to have agreement across the stakeholder spectrum.
Dayton to Release Budget Next Week: With an updated budget surplus forecasted at nearly $2 billion, the Governor announced that he will release a supplemental budget next week. Look for increased investments in nursing homes and education. The stage is set for final negotiations of the state’s budget, which will occur over the next 5-7 weeks.
Energy Performance Path: Given the extreme costs associated with the new energy code, BATC is seeking the creation/clarification of a performance path. The performance path would confirm energy savings required by the code, but there would be flexibility for builders and homeowners to find their way to code compliance. We are working with legislators and representatives from the MN Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) to study the creation of a performance pathway.
Codes Challenge: BATC continues work on its petition to the MN Court of Appeals. The petition seeks to invalidate the sprinkler mandate, and also to remand portions of the energy code back to DLI to be re-worked. Our appellate brief is due to the Court of Appeals on Monday, March 23.
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