If you have specific questions or comments regarding the proposed rule-making, please contact:
Carolyn Gallagher, Paralegal
Office of Legal Counsel
Dept. of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
Telephone: (608) 224-5023
2811 Agriculture Dr.
Madison, WI 53718
Commerce
(Licenses, Certifications and Registrations, Ch. Comm 5)
(Uniform Dwelling, Chs. Comm 20-25)
Subject:
Chs. Comm 5 and 20-25 - Relating to the Uniform Dwelling Code.
Description of policy issues:
Description of the objective of the rule:
The Uniform Dwelling Code establishes statewide uniform construction and inspection rules for one- and 2-family dwellings.
The statutes require the Department to review the rules of the Uniform Dwelling Code every two years. The Department is required to revise the rules after consultation with the Uniform Dwelling Code Council, which is appointed by the Governor. Code changes currently under development are expected to go into effect in early 2001. The code update being scoped herein is expected to be implemented in April 2003.
The objective of the rule is to:
• Have a clearly understood code that reflects application of current construction practices, products, standards, model codes, and materials.
• Have in place appropriate minimum standards for qualifications and responsibilities of persons and businesses that are required or permitted to obtain credentials.
Description of existing policies relevant to the rule and of new policies proposed to be included in the rule and an analysis of policy alternatives:
a) Existing policies. The Uniform Dwelling Code, chs. Comm 20-25, establishes statewide uniform construction and inspection rules for one- and 2-family dwellings. To ensure the health, safety and welfare of Wisconsin citizens using and residing in one- and 2-family dwellings, the Department believes that its codes and adopted standards must be viable and current.
b) New policies. This code review will identify potential code revisions necessary to:
• Address code requirement clarity problems that have been discovered since the last code review.
• Clarify administrative requirements.
• Address code requirements for credentialing, including continuous education.
• Reflect new construction practices, products, standards, and materials, including heating, ventilating and air conditioning, fire safety systems, dwelling egress and structural components.
• Address code requirements relative to safety, health, and welfare which are substantially different from the national model building codes.
c) Analysis of policy alternatives. The Department has identified the following alternatives:
• The Department could leave the code as written. However, the Department believes that using the code as it stands now would leave designers, builders and local inspectors unsure of how to comply with the code, and unaware of how newer materials and standards should be regulated and applied. This alternative conflicts with s. 101.63 (5), Stats.
• The Department could, after consulting with the council, adopt current standards, correct code clarity problems, incorporate code interpretations that have developed since the last code change, incorporate new construction practices, products, standards or materials, and incorporate new code requirements into the next code package. These proposed changes would fulfill the objective of protecting public health, safety and welfare. The Department recommends this alternative.
Statutory authority for the rule:
Applicable sections of Wisconsin Statutes:
Section 101.60 - Establishes statewide construction standards for 1-2 family dwellings.
Section 101.63 - Requires Department to establish standards for construction and inspection.
Section 101.63 (5) - Requires Department to biennially review rules.
Section 101.64 (3) - Permits Department to revise rules after consulting with UDC council.
Section 101.73
- Establishes statewide standards for manufactured 1-2 family dwellings.
Section101.74
- Requires Department to establish standards for construction and inspection.
Section 101.73 (8) - Requires Department to biennially review rules.
Section 101.74 (3) - Permits Department to revise rules after consulting with UDC council.
Estimate of the amount of time necessary to develop the rule:
The following is the estimated work time between 11/00 and 4/03 that staff will be involved in these code change issues.
Dwelling code council meetings -
(Average of 40 hr. x 8 meetings) = 320 hr.
Code topics research, language drafts = 450 hr.
Hearings, responses, revisions, etc. = 375 hr.
Environmental assessment - = 40 hr.
Total = 1,185 hr.
Contact information:
If you have specific questions or comments regarding the proposed rule-making, please contact:
Duane Hubeler
Safety and Buildings Division
Program Development Bureau
Dept. of Commerce
Elections Board
Subject:
SS. ElBd 2.05 to 2.07 - Relating to the procedure for filing nomination papers and determining their sufficiency; the procedure for challenging nomination papers; the procedure for responding to challenges to nomination papers; and the procedure for filing officer review of challenges to nomination papers.
Description of policy issues:
Description of objective(s):
The objectives of the rule are:
• To amend the Elections Board's existing rule;
• To amend the provisions that provide for the nomination paper requirements and the standards for determining their sufficiency; and
• To amend the periods of time in which to file a challenge to nomination papers and in which to respond to a challenge to nomination papers.
Description of policies – relevant existing policies, proposed new policies and policy alternatives considered:
Under the existing rules, nomination papers do not have to be numbered and a correction procedure has not been codified. Also, challengers and respondents have three business days in which to file their pleadings with the filing officer. The Board is considering whether nomination papers ought to be numbered and whether a correction procedure ought to be codified. It is also considering whether the periods of time for challenge and response ought to be increased to give challengers more time in which to file a challenge and respondents more time in which to file a response. By extending the time periods for challenge and response, each party would have more time in which to investigate the facts and circumstances underlying the challenge.
Statutory authority for the rule:
Sections 5.05 (1) (f) and 227.11 (2) (a), Stats.
Estimates of the amount of time that state employees will spend developing the rule and of other resources necessary to develop the rule:
8 hours of staff time.
Contact information:
If you have specific questions or comments regarding the proposed rule-making, please contact:
George A. Dunst, Legal Counsel
State Elections Board
Natural Resources
(Fish, Game, etc., Chs. NR 1--)
Subject:
Section NR 1.62 and ch. NR 45 - Relating to rock climbing on Department properties.
Description of policy issues:
Descnption of policy issues to be resolved, include groups likely to be impacted or interested in the issue:
General policy (s. NR 1.62) regarding rock climbing on Department properties; specific requirements regarding rock climbing which will go into ch. NR 45 - Proposed rules would affect all users of Department properties where rock climbing does or might occur, although the primary affected group would be persons engaged in rock climbing.
