H 8020Workplace Safety

Health and Safety - State Building Code

Allows virtual building inspections and permits builders to hire third-party inspectors if local officials miss the 48-hour deadline.

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Introduced Feb 27, 2026Committee House Municipal Government & Housing

Plain-English Summary

This legislation updates the Rhode Island State Building Code to modernize the inspection process. It grants building officials the discretion to conduct "virtual inspections" using video technology or photographic evidence instead of requiring an in-person visit. Furthermore, the bill addresses delays; if a local building official fails to perform a requested inspection within 48 hours, the builder is permitted to hire a qualified third-party inspector or a state inspector. Local officials must accept these third-party reports, and if a state inspector is used, the municipality must reimburse the state for the costs.

For younger readers

This new rule changes how houses and buildings are checked to make sure they are built safely. Before, an inspector always had to visit the building. Now, they can use video calls or look at photos to check the work. Also, if the town's inspector takes too long to show up (more than two days), the builder is allowed to hire a different expert to do the check instead. This helps construction workers finish their jobs faster without getting stuck waiting for the town inspector to arrive.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

BuildersContractorsMunicipal Building OfficialsHomeownersThird-party Inspectors

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost

Amount unknown

Estimated revenue

Amount unknown

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Reduces bureaucratic delays in construction, which could accelerate the development of much-needed housing stock and potentially lower costs for residents.
Modernizes government services by allowing virtual inspections, increasing accessibility and safety during public health crises or for remote locations.
Holds local governments accountable for inefficiencies by allowing builders to bypass unresponsive officials, ensuring that community development is not stalled by administrative neglect.
Promotes the privatization of regulatory oversight by allowing private third-party inspectors to replace public officials, potentially undermining the reliability of safety checks.
Virtual inspections and photographic evidence may fail to catch subtle safety violations or corner-cutting that an in-person inspection would reveal, putting future tenants at risk.
Mandating that towns reimburse the state for inspections could strain municipal budgets, potentially diverting limited funds away from other essential local social services.

For Conservatives

Reduces government red tape by allowing businesses to bypass slow municipal bureaucrats and hire private inspectors to keep projects moving efficiently.
Empowers the private sector by recognizing third-party professionals as valid authorities, reducing reliance on government monopoly services.
Imposes financial accountability on inefficient local governments by requiring them to pay the state if they fail to perform their duties within the statutory timeframe.
Infringes on local municipal autonomy by state mandate, forcing towns to reimburse the state which interferes with local budget control.
Maintains a layer of bureaucratic reporting by requiring contractors to email notifications to the government before they can utilize private market solutions.
The expansion of "virtual inspections" could theoretically be abused by government officials to conduct video surveillance of private property without being physically present.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 6 additions

SECTION 1. Section 23-27.3-111.2 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-27.3 entitled "State Building Code" is hereby amended to read as follows: 23-27.3-111.2. Inspection.

(a) The building official shall make all required inspections as specified in the provisions of this code and the building official shall conduct the inspections from time to time during and upon completion of the work for which the building official has issued a permit; and the building official shall maintain a record of all the examinations and inspections and of all violations of this code. In conjunction with specific construction projects, the building official may designate specific inspection points in the course of construction which require the contractor or builder to give the building official twenty-four (24) hours notice prior to the time when the inspections are required to be performed. The building official shall make the inspection within forty-eight (48) hours after the notification; weekend days and holidays are not included in the forty-eight (48) hours. The building official, in the building official’s discretion, may conduct “virtual inspections”, or inspect photographic evidence, to review completion of work for which the building official has issued a permit. For the purposes of this section “virtual inspections” involve remote assessments of properties or sites using video technology, avoiding on-site presence by inspectors.

(b) If the building official fails to perform an inspection within the time frame set forth in this section, the contractor or builder may hire a qualified third-party inspector or the state inspector. The building official shall accept reports of such inspections. For the purposes of this section, a qualified third-party inspector shall mean an individual certified in accordance with the provisions of § 23-27.3-107.6 or any professional authorized by the provisions of § 23-27.3- 108.1.4. In order to hire a qualified third-party inspector or the state inspector, the contractor or builder shall notify the building official via email of the intent to hire a qualified third-party inspector or the state inspector to perform the inspection at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the hire. If the state inspector performs the inspection, the salary and operating expenses for services provided shall be reimbursed to the state by the city or town receiving the services and shall be deposited as general revenues.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.