j_src_2016a_2016-10-13t09:02:15z9 Hearing Summary

Date: 10/13/2016

10:22 AM -- 5b. Modernize ANSI citations in accessible housing statutesB_Edited_Draft ANSI cite updates.pdf



Ms. Meyer explained that former state representative and current state buildings manager in the Office of the State Architect, Cheri Gerou, had approached the Capital Development Committee Staff with proposed legislation, and that that Committee had suggested the issue would be ripe for the SRC. Ms. Meyer introduced the issues presented in the memo, that the Colorado statutory standards regarding accessible housing, which incorporate ANSI standards, refer to ANSI standards first released in 1997--and that these standards have been updated more recently, meaning that the references to outdated ANSI standards need updating. Ms. Meyer suggested that there were several different ways to amend the statutes, either updating the statute by citing to the most recent ANSI standards or doing the same but adding an "as amended", so that the statutes wouldn't need updating every time the ANSI standards were updated.





10:25 AM -- Ms. Gerou testified, explaining that the ANSI standards are related to the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and that the Office does not refer to a specific-year-version of the ANSI standards, just to them generally so that they can change as the federal standards change. She added that she sets the building codes for the state and that she uses the ANSI standards from 2003.

Senator Steadman commented that other references to ANSI standards, outside the language in statute specifically pertaining to the OSA, reference ANSI standards generally, and do not include a particular year. He wondered if adding "as amended" to the ANSI standards referenced in the OSA statute would requiring doing the same to ANSI standards outside this particular statute, to make all the references consistent.

Ms. Gerou explained that approved codes are listed on the State Architect's website and, more specifically, the code she adopted for public universities, state agencies, for construction purposes, is the 2015 International Building Code, but if you discuss with the Department of Local Affairs, Manufactured Housing Division, they're using the 2012 International Building Code. She said that there could potentially be an issue with changing the ANSI references in other statutes, because while she uses the most current, most restrictive codes available (which must be approved by the legislature), that isn't always the case for organizations not under her purview (cities, counties, etc.), and she did not want the proposed legislation to interfere with those other organizations. She explained the reach of her office--that state buildings can be located within municipal areas; for example, the capitol building must adhere to state building codes, although the building itself is within the city and county of Denver.