CSSB 269(L&C) - PLUMBING CODE CHAIRMAN KOTT announced the next order of business would be CSSB 269(L&C), "An Act relating to the state plumbing code; and providing for an effective date," sponsored by the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee. He said there is a proposed committee substitute, Version B, Bannister, dated 4/24/98. Number 008 REPRESENTATIVE PORTER made a motion to adopt the proposed committee substitute, Version B. There being no objection, Version B was before the Committee. ANNETTE KREITZER, Legislative Assistant to Senator Loren Leman, came before the committee to explain the legislation. She explained SB 269 allows the Department of Labor to automatically adopt, through the regulatory process, the latest published version of the plumbing code. She stated, "Throughout the hearing process of this bill, all of the people who are involved in the trade have had the opportunity to look at it, but it wasn't until after it moved out of the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee and through several other committees that we were questioned as to why Appendix L had been left off of the list of appendices that are adopted by the department ... Appendix L has to do with alternate plumbing systems and we had several engineers look at Appendix L and ask them and ask the Professional Design Council and others to review the bill and see if there is anything that they would suggest to add to it. But it took a long time to develop that consensus. The short story is that now the professional and the engineers have come back and said they would prefer to have Appendix L back in the bill. And so that's the one change in this committee substitute, page 1, line 11, where it says, 'and the appendices A through L of the 1997 edition of the Uniform Plumbing Code'. Department of Labor will give you their opinion on it, but what I understand is that they are in agreement with that change. The second change in the committee substitute in on lines 5, 6 and 7, where the department is allowed to adopt a later version of another nationally recognized code approved by the legislature by law. This precludes the opportunity for the legislature to approve a nationally-recognized code by resolution. There is a memo from Terry Bannister from our Division of Legal Services attached, I believe to your committee substitute, that explains that, and the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee chairman is fine with these changes, Mr. Chairman." Number 065 REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS referred to page 1, line 6, and asked what the wording, "of the following publication" refers to. MS. KREITZER explained that originally the bill read something like, "and unless the department adopts by regulation a later edition of the following publications." The Uniform Plumbing Code is made up of several publications. Page 2 sets out the Uniform (indisc.). REPRESENTATIVE PORTER asked if "subsequent" would be a better word than "following." He said he thought there was a publications list. MS. KREITZER said that there is a publications list on page 2. Number 092 RAY GILLESPIE, International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, was next to come before the committee. He stated the organization he represents supports the legislation with the amendment. REPRESENTATIVE PHILLIPS noted that her office received a lot of correspondence regarding this legislation. Number 113 DWIGHT PERKINS, Special Assistant, Office of the Commissioner, Department of Labor, came before the committee to testify. He said Ms. Kreitzer pointed out the changes in the draft. He indicated the committee should have a letter from Deborah Bear, Assistant Attorney General, which states what Ms. Bannister had said regarding the word "law." The Department of Labor does support the changes in Version B. Regarding the Appendices A through L, he said the department intentionally left out Appendix L in beginning because they felt that it was a redundancy issue. In Section 18.607.05 regarding the Plumbing Code, the changes refers to subsection (a), paragraphs 1 and 2. It does not change subsection (c), which addresses the heat exchanger, which was a big topic of discussion a couple of years ago. Mr. Perkins said based on the discussion that was held in Alaska regarding single wall heat exchangers a couple of years ago, the people who write the Uniform Plumbing Code did put in Appendix L, which refers to single wall heat exchangers. It also refers to engineer plumbing systems. The department does have a process in place to allow for the acceptance of engineered systems and requires a waiver process. The department felt that was redundant as well. Mr. Perkins referred to Appendix L and said it addresses sizing plumbing piping using bathroom groups in lieu of individual fixture units. He said when you take a group of bathroom fixtures, and add them all together instead of individually, you can actually save on the cost of material for sizing a pipe; therefore, using less material and saving the client or user money. The department did feel it was redundant to have that in there, but they aren't in opposition to including it. Mr. Perkins referred to subsection (a) and stated they don't have an objection to the proposed language. He said he would be happy to answer any questions. CHAIRMAN KOTT said there were no further witnesses to testify and closed the public hearing. Number 182 REPRESENTATIVE PORTER made a motion to move HCSCSSB 269, with individual recommendations and with the attached fiscal notes. There being no objection HCSCSSB 269(RLS) moved out of the House Rules Standing Committee.