Around the Horn: Legislative News and Component Victories

Below is a list of some of the most recent state legislative news as well as well-earned victories by our state components. For the most up-to-date component activities and legislative information, read the Government Advocacy's newsletter, The Angle.

Has your state accomplished something not listed here? Contact the AIA Government Advocacy team to let them know!

 

March 13, 2008

Alaska Legislature Approves Bill to Level Playing Field for Indemnity Language

An Alaskan bill recently signed into law requires a uniform indemnification, defense, and hold harmless provision for all professional service contracts for public agencies. H.B. 151, sponsored by Representative Craig Johnson (R), will make each party in the contract financially responsible for their own liabilities and establish joint liability on a comparative fault basis. Members of AIA Alaska have been working with other design professionals for the past two years to ensure passage. View H.B. 151.


Green Building Bill Pushes Forward in Alabama

Alabama bill H.B. 241 will require all new state buildings in Alabama to be built as "high performance buildings." The bill uses the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers) Advanced Energy Design Guidelines to define "high performance buildings." The fiscal note attached to the bill recognizes that although there may be increased initial costs, those costs could be offset by decreased maintenance and operational costs. H.B. 241 was approved unanimously in the state's House of Representatives and will now go to the Senate for consideration. View the bill.


Alabama Looks to Update the Architect License Law

House and Senate committees have approved legislation that would alter Alabama's architect registration law. S.B. 266, and its companion bill, H.B. 474, would modify language requiring architects to "directly supervise" projects to maintain that architects be in "responsible control," clarify provisions that dictate when an architect is required, deregulate corporate practice, and update rules aimed to prevent unlicensed practice. View the bill.


Interior Design Override Fails in Indiana

Several members of the Indiana State Legislature tried to override the veto of S.B. 490, which aimed to regulate interior design. The move failed by a vote of 15-31. S.B. 490, introduced in 2007, was vetoed last year by Governor Mitch Daniels (R), who issued a strong statement denouncing the need for regulation and citing that such regulation unduly limits competition. View S.B. 490 and Gov. Daniels' veto message.

 

February 28, 2008

Wisconsin to Require Continuing Education 

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle (D) signed a bill, A.B. 181, to authorize the Architects Section of the Joint Examining Board to establish continuing education requirements for licensure renewal. In recent months, AIA Wisconsin launched a legislative campaign with other industry professionals and the Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing to pursue this legislation. The Board will now begin to examine rules to develop these minimum requirements. Once the draft rules are prepared, they will be subject to a public hearing and legislative review. View A.B. 181.


QBS Legislation Making Headway in Wisconsin

A bill that would require local governments to use Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) when hiring a design consultant was recently approved by the state’s Assembly Urban and Local Affairs Committee. A floor vote on A.B. 553 is expected late this week. The companion legislation, S.B. 295, is also moving forward and will likely receive a committee hearing by mid-March. View A.B. 553.

Ohio Works to Green Schools

The Ohio Controlling Board recently approved a proposal to hire a consultant tasked with helping schools comply with a requirement approved last year that mandates that all new school construction to meet the USGBC’s LEED Silver ® rating. Visit the AIA Ohio Web site to learn more.


Arizona Converting to Solar Energy

A private company in Arizona currently is planning to open a new solar energy plant in 2011. According to the Arizona Public Service Co. (APS), the plant will be one of the largest in the world, generating 280 megawatts of electricity – enough to power at least 70,000 homes. All of the energy produced will be sold to the APS. The plant, which will cover three square miles and cost more than $1 billion to construct, will now go through regulatory review. However, if all goes as planned, APS will be the country’s utility leader in supplying solar capacity per capita. Read the article.