STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1739

with Senate Floor Amendments

(Proposed by Senator OROHO)

ADOPTED: JANUARY 28, 2021

      These Senate Floor Amendments would:

· Authorize local building code enforcing agencies to use the “Electronic Permit Processing Review System,” developed by the Department of Community Affairs (“DCA”), instead of requiring its use at the local level;

· Authorize a local enforcing agency to use a different electronic system, so long as that system provides an equivalent level of functionality as the system implemented by DCA;

· Clarify that a portion of construction permit surcharge fees would be remitted to the department to defray the cost of developing and administering the electronic system by local enforcing agencies that have elected to utilize the electronic system implemented by DCA; and

· Provide that a municipality would be required, as part of the bid specification process, to ensure that a private code enforcing agency participate in whichever electronic system the municipality has elected to use.