SB 379

Under rules promulgated by the Department of Safety and Professional

Services (DSPS), the construction of, addition to, or alteration of a public building or

a place of employment (building project) may not begin until plans for the building

project have been reviewed and approved by DSPS or a local unit of government

appointed by DSPS, with limited exceptions. Under these rules, a person may start

the construction of the footings and foundation of a public building or place of

employment before the plans for the building project have been approved if DSPS

authorizes the start of the construction. Under the rules, DSPS must make a

determination whether to authorize the start of construction within three business

days after receiving the plans for review and must make a determination on the

overall plans for the project within 15 business days after receiving the plans for

review.

Under current statutory law administered by DSPS, no person may operate a

public swimming pool or a water attraction (water recreation facility) unless DSPS

has approved the plans for the construction, alteration, or reconstruction of the water

recreation facility. Under current law, there is no exemption for starting construction

of any footing or foundation for a water recreation facility before the plans are

reviewed and approved by DSPS. There also is no deadline imposed on DSPS for

making a determination on whether to approve a plan for a water recreation facility.

This bill does the following:

1. Incorporates into the statutes parts of the rules regarding DSPS's review of

plans for public buildings and places of employment.

2. Allows a person to start construction of footings and foundations as part of

a building project or a water recreation facility without having DSPS's authorization

to start the construction of the footings and foundations.

3. Requires DSPS to make a determination on the overall plans for a building

project or a water recreation facility within 15 days after receiving the plans for

review.

Also under the bill, a person who elects to start construction on footings or

foundations of a building project or water recreation facility shall proceed at the

person's own risk without assurance that the submitted plans for the building project

or water recreation facility will be approved.