LICENSED ARCHITECT EXEMPTION - H.B. 5819: COMMITTEE SUMMARY
House Bill 5819 (as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Wayne Kuipers
House Committee: Employment Relations, Training and Safety
Senate Committee: Economic Development, International Trade and Regulatory Affairs
CONTENT
The bill would amend Article 20 (Architects, Professional Engineers, and Land Surveyors) of the Occupational Code to revise an exemption from licensure requirements for certain residential construction projects.
The Code provides that a person is exempt from the requirements of Article 20 if he or she is planning, designing, or directing the construction of a residence building not exceeding 3,500 square feet in calculated floor area. Currently, "calculated floor area" means that portion of the total gross area, measured to the outside surfaces of exterior walls intended to be habitable, including a heater or utility room, but not including a crawl space, an unfinished and nonhabitable portion of a basement or attic, or a garage, open porch, balcony, terrace, or court.
Under the bill, that exemption would apply to a person who was planning, designing, or directing the construction of a detached one- and two-family residence building not exceeding 5,000 square feet in calculated floor area. "Calculated floor area" would mean that portion of the total gross area measured to the outside surfaces of exterior that was intended to be habitable space. "Habitable space" would mean space in a building used for living, sleeping, eating, or cooking, and would 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.
In addition, Article 20 provides that a person is subject to penalties set forth in the Code if he or she submits to a public official of this State or a political subdivision of the State for approval, a permit or a plan for filing as a public record, a specification, a report, or a land survey that does not bear one or more seals of a licensee as required by Article 20. This provision does not apply to a public work costing less than $15,000 or a residential building containing not more than 3,500 square feet of calculated floor area. The bill would refer to a residential building containing not more than 5,000 square feet of calculated floor area.
MCL 339.2012 & 330.2014 - Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
- Fiscal Analyst: Maria TyszkiewiczS0102\s5819sa
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.