ARCHITECTS, PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND SURVEYORS; REVISE ARTICLE 20 EXEMPTION
House Bill 5819
Sponsor: Rep. Wayne Kuipers
Committee: Employment Relations, Training and Safety
Complete to 3-20-02
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 5819 AS INTRODUCED 3-19-02
Under Article 20 of the Occupational Code, entitled AArchitects, Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors@, certain documents regarding construction and surveying must bear one or more seals of a person licensed under the article. An exemption has been created for a person not licensed under the article who is planning, designing, or directing the construction of certain buildings. Specifically, an exemption exists for a public work costing less than $15,000, and for a residential building that contains 3,500 square feet or less of calculated floor area. House Bill 5819 would retain these provisions, but extend the exemption to a residential building that contains 5,000 square feet or less of calculated floor area.
Further, the bill would delete the current definition of "calculated floor area" and instead define the term to mean "that portion of the total gross area measured to the outside surfaces of exterior walls intended to be habitable space." Currently under the code, Acalculated floor area@ refers to habitable areas of a building and includes a heater or utility room but does not include a garage, open porch, balcony, or an unfinished and nonhabitable portion of a basement or attic.
Finally, the bill would define "habitable space" to mean space in a building used for living, sleeping, eating, or cooking. Habitable space does not include a heater or utility room, a crawl space, a basement, an attic, a garage, an open porch, a balcony, a terrace, a court, a deck, a bathroom, a toilet room, a closet, a hallway, a storage space, and other similar spaces not used for living, sleeping, eating, or cooking.
MCL 339.2012 and 339.2014
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.