Bill Text

Bill Information


Add To My Favorites | print page

SB-1508 Seismic safety standards: strengthening standards.(2007-2008)

SHARE THIS: share this bill in Facebook share this bill in Twitter
SB1508:v96#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Assembly  June 19, 2008
Amended  IN  Senate  May 08, 2008
Amended  IN  Senate  April 14, 2008

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2007–2008 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill
No. 1508

Introduced  by  Senator Corbett
 (Coauthor(s): Assembly Member Hancock)

February 21, 2008

An act to add Section 7065.07 to the Business and Professions Code, and to add Section 8898 to the Government Code, relating to seismic safety standards.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 1508, as amended, Corbett. Seismic safety standards: strengthening standards.
Existing law requires the State Architect, in consultation with designated entities, to develop seismic retrofit guidelines and standards for buildings, as specified, with concrete or reinforced masonry column or wall construction. Under existing law, any building standard adopted or proposed by a state agency is required to be submitted to, and adopted or approved by, the California Building Standards Commission prior to publication in the California Building Standards Code.
This bill would require the Department of Housing and Community Development, in consultation with designated entities, to develop guidelines and standards prior to January 1, 2010, for seismic strengthening of cripple walls and sill plate anchorage for light, wood frame residential buildings, as defined, and to submit the standards, prior to July 1, 2010, to the International Code Council for consideration and adoption into the model codes. The bill would also require the department, prior to January 1, 2012, to submit the standards for approval by the California Building Standards Commission. The bill would require the department to publish a commentary explaining the seismic strengthening guidelines and standards and their use prior to their effective date. The bill would require that the license examinations for a general contractor’s license and a carpentry and framing license ensure that a licensee applicant has sufficient knowledge to perform the seismic strengthening of cripple walls and sill plate anchorage of light, wood frame residential buildings. The bill would make its provisions regarding the department’s development of guidelines and standards for seismic strengthening of ripple walls and sill plate anchorage of light, wood frame residential buildings contingent on funding from sources other than the General Fund.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 7065.07 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:

7065.07.
 The qualifying examinations for both a general contractor’s license and a carpentry and framing license shall ensure that an applicant has sufficient knowledge, including knowledge of the guidelines and standards adopted pursuant to Section 8898 of the Government Code, to perform the seismic strengthening of cripple walls and sill plate anchorage of light, wood frame residential buildings.

SEC. 2.

 Section 8898 is added to the Government Code, to read:

8898.
 (a) The Department of Housing and Community Development shall develop guidelines and standards, prior to January 1, 2010, for the seismic strengthening of cripple walls and sill plate anchorage of light, wood frame residential buildings. The department shall develop these guidelines and standards in consultation with the Division of the State Architect, the California Building Standards Commission, the Contractors’ State License Board, the California Council of the American Institute of Architects, the California Building Officials, the Structural Engineers Association of California, the Seismic Safety Commission, the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, the League of California Cities, the Association of Bay Area Governments, and other organizations that have previously worked on committees to develop similar seismic strengthening provisions.
(b) Prior to July 1, 2010, the Department of Housing and Community Development shall submit the seismic strengthening standards to the International Code Council for consideration and adoption into the model codes, as defined in Section 18916 of the Health and Safety Code, and, prior to January 1, 2012, the Department of Housing and Community Development shall submit the seismic strengthening standards to the California Building Standards Commission for approval pursuant to Section 18930 of the Health and Safety Code.
(c) Prior to the effective date of the seismic strengthening guidelines and standards adopted pursuant to this section, the Department of Housing and Community Development shall publish a commentary explaining the seismic strengthening guidelines and standards and their use.
(d) The following definitions apply for purposes of this section:
(1) “In consultation with” means the meaningful and open solicitation of suggestions, ideas, and comments, and the response to these suggestions, ideas, and comments, and the opportunity to participate in meetings by the organizations named in this section. Consultation shall include consideration of what constitutes seismic deficiencies and the appropriate measures to correct the deficiencies.
(2) “Seismic strengthening of cripple walls and sill plate anchorage of light, wood frame residential buildings” means retrofitting or reconstruction of an existing building to significantly reduce structural collapse due to inadequate connections between the wood frame building and the foundation, inadequately braced cripple walls, and lack of connections between these cripple walls and the first floor of the building.
(e) This section shall be implemented to the extent that funds are available to the Department of Housing and Community Development for the purposes of this section from any source other than the General Fund, including, but not limited to, federal funding, funding made available by the California Earthquake Authority, and private donations. Any funds made available by the California Earthquake Authority for purposes of this section shall be expended solely for activities that directly further the development of seismic strengthening standards, consistent with the public mitigation goals of the California Earthquake Authority, as defined by its governing board, and shall not be expended for administrative costs or overhead expenses of the Department of Housing and Community Development, or by any other department or agency of the state, or by a private entity.