Regulatory Affairs
In addition to
tracking legislative matters, the association office also
follows the development of rules and regulations that impact the
regulatory landscape of the construction industry. Rules and
regulations can be complicated, at times confusing and ever
changing. The AGC staff is a resource in helping construction
companies understand the rules and regulations that govern our
business.
If a rule or
regulation proves to be onerous, AGC staff works to find ways to
improve or enhance rules through its lobbying and grassroots
efforts. Listed below are links to resources that will help your
company navigate the regulatory landscape.
ALERT!!
You may be aware the State Fire Marshall has issued a
statement announcing the implementation of the 2006
International Building Code (IBC) and the 2006 version of the
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Uniform Fire Code.
In February of this year, your association formed a coalition of
architects, engineers, codes officials, homebuilders and
building owners and managers to urge the State Fire Marshall to
adopt the IBC and the complementary International Fire Code (IFC).
After spending a great deal of time and money addressing the
matter, the SFMO decided to adopt the NFPA fire code instead.
On November
29th, the coalition met with the Commissioner of the Department
of Commerce & Insurance, Leslie Newman, and several staff
personnel. She began the meeting stating the reasons the
department had adopted the NFPA code. At the finish of her
introductory remarks, all parties responded with rebuttals to
each of her points. For example, she stated Tennessee was 5th
in the nation in the number of fire deaths. An architect stated
he was “baffled” that the State would continue to operate under
a fire code, the NFPA, which put Tennessee 5th in
fire deaths!
At the
conclusion of the meeting, the Commissioner was obviously not as
supportive of the NFPA as she was at the beginning of the
meeting. She has asked all of the associations present to poll
their membership for anecdotal examples of inconsistencies, grey
areas and conflicts regarding the IBC and the NFPA fire codes.
She also asks for all instances where the plans review process
was successfully completed, and a discrepancy occurs with the
field inspection. Bill Young has been designated as the
collector of all of this data. I strongly urge you to think
carefully and forward to him all occurrences where your firm has
had difficulty with the re Marshall’s office. This is one
chance where you truly can impact the operations of the
construction industry in Tennessee.
Regulatory Links
License Searches Through
Tennessee State Website
Downloadable Reports - Tennessee Division of Regulatory
Boards
Tennessee Department of Commerce Website Map
How to Become A Licensed Contractor
Tennessee Board For Licensing Contractors
Tennessee
Department of Labor and Workforce Development
