Legislative Session Week 15: Fire Sprinkler Issue Emerges

Late last Friday, the Minnesota Senate adopted an amendment (authored by Sen. David Senjem, R-Rochester) to the Omnibus Economic Development Bill authored by Senator David Tomassoni (DFL-Chisolm) removing a sprinkler mandate from the forthcoming building code. The vote was an impressive bi-partisan 47-17 in favor of the amendment. Now the bill, with the industry amendment attached, heads to Conference Committee where the Senate and House will work to negotiate differences in the bill, and ultimately send the final legislation to go to the Governor's desk.  We are heartened by this strong bi-partisan vote, but recognize that keeping the sprinkler mandate prohibition in the bill will be a steep challenge during difficult negotiations. This caps a week during which the flurries outside matched the flurry of activity at the Capitol by the BATC lobbying team of James Vagle, Pete Coyle and Julie Perrus.

Single-family dwelling; fire sprinklers. (a) The State Building Code, the State Fire code, or a political subdivision of the state by code, by ordinance, as a condition of receiving public funding, or in any other way, must not require the installation of fire sprinklers, any fire sprinkler system components, or automatic fire-extinguishing equipment or devices in any new or existing single-family detached dwelling unit.

   (b) This subdivision does not affect or limit a requirement for smoke or fire detectors, alarms, or their components.

Vagle, Coyle and Perrus have been canvasing the Capitol over the past week along with BAM’s lobbyists to discus the importance of removing the costly and unnecessary sprinkler mandate from the building code. As evidenced by the Senate vote, there is strong support from both parties on this issue. Over the past month, more than 12 individual meetings occurred between BATC members who were constituents with swing metro DFLers to gather support for our position.

The BATC members did an exceptional job in making the case and momentum has clearly been building for our story – which put simply is that we build exceptionally safe homes, and that while some regulation is necessary and appropriate, this regulation is government overreach that the public solidly opposes. The pace of activity has quickened in the last few days and will continue for the balance of session, which must conclude its work by May 20th. We’ll be monitoring action at the Capitol with regard to the Conference Committee and we will keep you updated.

Very cool! View the home price spectrum from 2005 to 2013 >>

Want to win some easy (fake) money? Visit our booth at The Pella ProExpo tomorrow to earn $100 in BATC Bucks. Our Membership Director, Deb Earl, will be handing out Bonus Bucks to anyone who knows the codeword: THE VOICE!

For information on events, deadlines and resources, remember to visit our website at WWW.BATC.ORG, or stay connected through Twitter, Facebook, Linked-In and the PLS Blog.

Online entry is now open! Enter the Fall Parade of Homes and Remodelers Showcase by the May 22, 2013 deadline.

Enter online at ParadeofHomes.org. Contact Casey Hafner at 651-697-7569 for your password. Downloadable forms are also available online at BATC.org. To request a paper copy, please contact Casey Hafner.

Interested in advertising in our Guidebooks? Deadline to order an ad is July 2! Contact Kori Meewes at 612-801-9874 to get started!

Yesterday was Earth Day, and Minnesota's Green Path celebrated the substantial growth in the number of new and remodeled homes that have been energy tested. Read about it here >>

The new MN Green Path Energy Tested level, introduced during the Spring 2013 Parade of Homes, has been a major success. Consider testing your Fall Parade of Homes entries so that you can participant on the Energy Tour. Details can be found in the fall entry form.

Housing Passes One Million Mark
NAHB Eye on Housing -"Housing construction passed the psychological mark of one million starts in March coming in at 1.036 million homes, up 7 percent from an upwardly revised February level of 968,000" [keep reading].

Housing Recovery to be 'Robust'
Daily Real Estate News - "A continued recovery in housing and rising home prices should provide a cushion to economic growth this year, offsetting the hampering effects of tax increases and government spending cuts" [keep reading].

Get the House or Get Hitched...
There's love and marriage and then there's love and a mortgage. Millennial couples are more likely to buy a house together before they take their wedding vows" [keep reading].

Snow What do you think about the Housing Market?
Yesterday's MetroStudy Blog - "Today’s forecast in Minneapolis calls for a high of 35 degrees with a 90% chance of rain/sleet/snow/terribleness… oh and probably 4-6 inches of snow.  Last year at this time it was a sunny with a high of 62 degrees.

So you probably know where I’m going. Using the weather to segue into how the housing market can be so different from one year to the next, how original… I hope to make up for my lack of originality by dazzling you with some amazing housing figures" [keep reading].

Rebuilding Together Twin Cities, one of our favorite BATC Foundation partners, is gearing up for a two-day community revitalization effort in the Como neighborhood of St. Paul. If you want to join this effort to provide critical home repairs, accessibility modifications and other safety improvements for four homes owned by families in need, come volunteer on May 1st and 2nd! 

Contact Kathy Greiner (651-776-4273) with Rebuilding Together Twin Cities to find out how you can be a part of this exciting revitalization effort!

Great connections were made at the BATC Job & Career Fair last February, including resources for finding quality employees for your project needs. One such connection was with America's Woodshop, a Green Construction program that trains students for today's construction industry.

Learn more about the training program online, or contact Megan Myers at 952-303-8316 to get in touch with recent graduates.

• Star Tribune: Building Takes a Breather in Prior Lake [read article].

*Receive a BATC Bonus Buck, worth $100 in BATC Bucks, when you attend an event that's in our  2013 'Champion Event Series.'

April 26
Deadline to Enter for Remodeler of the Year [Enter now]
May 7
Showroom Mixer at Warners' Stellian [more information]
May 22
Parade of Homes Fall Deadline [enter a home]
May 31
Walleye Invitational [register]
June 18
Showroom Mixer at Mingle [get more information]
June 27
ROMA Awards Banquet [get more information]
July 18
BATC Boat Cruise [register]
July 25
Member Orientation [register]
August 6
BATC Open Golf Tournament [register]
October 15
Member Orientation [register]
October 24
Awards of Excellence Gala [register]

See Complete Calendar at WWW.BATC.ORG >>

View the 2013 Bonus Buck Events >>

Become an event sponsor: Take your membership to the next level by partnering with BATC. Contact Kori for sponsorship openings.