With the 123rd Indiana General Assembly now underway, legislators from throughout Indiana are meeting to debate legislation important to Hoosiers.
This session, I have authored several bills, including Senate Bill 333, which would make a small but helpful change to Indiana's construction laws. This would affect public buildings known as Class 1 Structures.
Currently, Indiana Building Code excludes nationally recognized building inspection requirements for Class 1 Structures, creating a potential danger to the public.
These omitted requirements are important to quality standards of the International Building Code. Without them, Indiana is not conforming with national construction practices and leaves the state without a defined minimum standard for the structural inspection of newly constructed buildings.
Senate Bill 333 would repeal the wording in Indiana Code that prevents the state from specifying that construction inspections be conducted and replaces it with language which would allow the Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission to set inspection standards.
This change would give the commission flexibility to adjust our inspection standards to conform to nationally recognized guidelines.
These changes would send a message that Indiana prioritizes public safety.
Senate Bill 333 is assigned to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Transportation, of which I am a member.
As always, feel free to contact my office directly with your questions and concerns by email at Senator.Messmer@iga.in.gov or by phone at 800-382-9467.
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State Sen. Mark Messmer (R-Jasper) represents Senate District 48, which
includes Crawford, Dubois, Gibson, Perry, Pike and Spencer counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
