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H7774AHousing

Health and Safety - State Building Code

This bill updates state building codes, changing the specific construction rules that apply to three-family and four-family residential buildings.

Introduced57 Yea10 Nay8 Not voting
Population
Affected
35
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 12, 2026Committee House Municipal Government & Housing

Plain-English Summary

This bill updates Rhode Island's state building codes by changing which rulebooks apply to multi-family homes. Previously, residential building codes applied to buildings with up to four family units. Under this bill, residential codes will apply to one- and two-family homes, while three-family homes can use either the residential code or a specific section of the commercial building code. Buildings with four or more units must now follow the commercial building code. It also mandates the adoption of the 2024 residential building codes and 2026 electrical codes by 2027, exempting this update from certain administrative review processes.

For younger readers

When people build houses or buildings, they have to follow a list of safety rules called a "building code." This bill changes which rulebook builders have to use depending on how many families live in the building. It says that buildings where three or four families live will now have to follow slightly different rules than they did before. It also tells the state to start using the newest, updated rulebooks for building and electricity by the year 2027 to make sure new buildings are as safe as possible.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Home buildersReal estate developersConstruction contractorsProperty ownersBuilding inspectors
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely. The bill simply updates state building code classifications and administrative procedures for adopting national standards, which falls well within the state's police power to regulate health, safety, and general welfare.

Estimated cost
Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Explicitly designates the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) as a required section, which promotes energy efficiency, helps combat climate change, and aligns with environmental protection goals.
  • Ensures rigorous commercial safety standards are applied to buildings with four units (which were previously under residential codes), potentially increasing safety and structural integrity for renters in multi-family housing.
  • Mandates the prompt adoption of updated 2024 building and 2026 electrical codes, ensuring housing is constructed using the most modern, safe, and efficient standards available.
  • Exempts the adoption of new building codes from certain regulatory and small business impact reviews, which could reduce transparency and limit public input in the rulemaking process.
  • Shifting four-family homes entirely to commercial building codes will likely increase construction costs, potentially worsening the affordable housing crisis by discouraging the development of "missing middle" housing.
  • Stricter commercial building codes for smaller multi-family units might make it more difficult for small, local contractors to compete with larger corporate developers who have more resources to navigate complex standards.
For Conservatives
  • Exempts the adoption of the 2024 and 2026 building codes from specific administrative procedures and economic impact reviews, reducing government red tape and speeding up the implementation process.
  • Streamlines the building code update process by directly mandating the adoption of recognized national standards rather than relying on drawn-out, state-level bureaucratic debates.
  • Provides flexibility for developers building three-family homes by allowing them to choose between using the residential code or an appendix to the commercial code.
  • Subjects four-family residential buildings to stricter commercial building codes, which imposes heavier regulatory burdens and higher costs on property owners, landlords, and small developers.
  • Explicitly mandates the adoption of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), forcing builders to comply with potentially expensive green energy standards that inflate housing costs.
  • Automatically ties state regulations to the dictates of national code organizations (like the ICC and NFPA), surrendering local state control over building requirements.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

2 versions
Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 19 additions · 4 deletions

SECTION 1. Section 23-27.3-100.1.5 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-27.3 entitled "State Building Code" is hereby amended to read as follows: 23-27.3-100.1.5. Building code — Adoption and promulgation by committee.

(a) The state building code standards committee has the authority to adopt, promulgate, and administer a state building code, which shall include:

(1) Provisions and amendments as necessary including, but not limited to, those necessary to resolve conflicts between fire safety codes and building codes, as provided for in § 23-28.01-6; and

(2) A rehabilitation building and fire code for existing buildings and structures.

(b) The building code may be promulgated in several sections, with a section applicable to:

(1) One-, and two (2)-, three (3)-, and four (4)-family dwellings using the International Residential Code ("IRC") from the International Code Council (“ICC”), and to three (3) family dwelling units either using the IRC or by providing the same via an appendix to the Commercial International Building Code (“IBC”), and any amendments thereto adopted by the state building code standards committee;

(2) To multiple dwellings with more than four (4) three (3) residential units, and hotels and motels and other commercial structures using the Commercial International Building Code ("IBC") from the ICC and any amendments thereto adopted by the state building code standards committee;

(3) An energy conservation code using the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and any amendments thereto adopted by the state building code standards committee; and (3)(4) To general building construction; to plumbing; and to electrical.

(c) The building code shall incorporate minimum standards for the location, design, construction, and installation of wells that are appurtenances to a building in applicable sections. For purposes of this chapter, “appurtenance” includes the installation, alteration, or repair of wells connected to a structure consistent with chapter 13.2 of title 46.

(d) The building code and the sections thereof shall be reasonably consistent with recognized and accepted standards adopted by national model code organizations and recognized authorities. To the extent that any state or local building codes, statutes, or ordinances are inconsistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title III, Public Accommodations and Services Operated by Private Entities, 42 U.S.C. § 12181 et seq., and its regulations and standards, they are hereby repealed. The state building code standards committee is hereby directed to adopt rules and regulations consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Titles II and III (28 C.F.R. Part 35 and 28 C.F.R. Part 36, as amended), as soon as possible, but no later than February 15, 2012, to take effect on or before March 15, 2012. The state building code standards committee is hereby authorized and directed to update those rules and regulations consistent with the future revisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Standards.

(e) All electrical work done in the state shall be in accordance with the latest edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC). The state building code standards committee shall adopt the latest edition of the NEC, including any amendments to the NEC by the committee. The adoption of the NEC by the commission shall be completed so that it will take effect on the first day of July of the year the edition is dated.

(f) The 2024 IRC, including any amendments thereto adopted by the building code standards committee (“BCSC”), shall take effect for one to three (3) family dwelling units not later than January 1, 2027; provided that, for three (3) family dwelling units the BCSC may provide for the same results via an appendix to the IBC. The revisions adopting the 2024 IRC and any other 2024 ICC codes, as well as the 2026 National Electric Code (NEC) published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), including any amendments thereto adopted by the BCSC, shall be exempt from the provisions of §§ 42-35-2.9(b), 42-35.1-3, and 42-35.1-4.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.