BILL NUMBER: SB 1508	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Corbett

                        FEBRUARY 21, 2008

   An act to add Section 8898 to the Government Code, relating to
seismic safety standards, and making an appropriation therefor.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1508, as introduced, Corbett. Seismic safety standards: cripple
walls.
   Existing law requires the State Architect, in consultation with
designated entities, to develop seismic retrofit guidelines and
standards for buildings, as specified, with concrete or reinforced
masonry column or wall construction. Under existing law, the
California Earthquake Authority is required to establish an
Earthquake Loss Mitigation Fund to provide funding for homeowners to
retrofit their residences to protect against earthquake damage.
   This bill would require the Department of Housing and Community
Development, in consultation with designated entities, to develop
guidelines and standards prior to January 1, 2010, for seismic
repairs of cripple walls of residential buildings, as defined, and to
publish a commentary explaining the guidelines and standards by that
date. The bill would require the California Building Standards
Commission to adopt, approve, codify, and publish the guidelines and
standards in the California Building Standards Code prior to July 1,
2011, and to submit them to the International Code Council on or
prior to August 1, 2011. The bill would also require the Contractors'
State License Board to adopt a training and testing program prior to
August 1, 2011, for a specialty license classification for the
seismic retrofit of cripple walls. The bill would appropriate an
unspecified amount from the Earthquake Loss Mitigation Fund to the
department for the purposes of developing the seismic retrofit
guidelines and standards.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 8898 is added to the Government Code, to read:
   8898.  (a) The Department of Housing and Community Development
shall develop guidelines and standards, prior to January 1, 2010, for
the seismic retrofit of cripple walls of residential buildings of
wood frame construction. The department shall develop these
guidelines and standards in consultation with the Division of the
State Architect, the California Building Standards Commission, the
Contractors' State License Board, the California Council of the
American Institute of Architects, the California Building Officials,
the International Code Council, the Structural Engineers Association
of California, the Seismic Safety Commission, the Earthquake
Engineering Research Institute, the League of California Cities, the
Association of Bay Area Governments, and other organizations that
have previously worked on committees to develop similar retrofit
provisions.
   (b) The sum of ____ dollars ($____) is hereby appropriated from
the Earthquake Loss Mitigation Fund to the Department of Housing and
Community Development to complete the duties described in this
section. The department may expend the money appropriated to it for
the costs of retaining professionals in the engineering field to
develop the guidelines and standards, as well as for travel and other
necessary expenses for committee members developing and reviewing
those guidelines and standards, and may retain 10 percent of the
funds appropriated to it for administrative expenses relating to its
duties under this section.
   (c) Prior to January 1, 2010, the Department of Housing and
Community Development shall publish a commentary explaining the
seismic retrofit guidelines and standards and their use, and shall
submit the seismic retrofit standards to the California Building
Standards Commission. The department shall also make the standards
available to other interested parties upon their request.
   (d) Prior to July 1, 2011, the California Building Standards
Commission shall adopt, approve, codify, and publish by reference in
the California Building Standards Code the seismic retrofit
guidelines and standards developed pursuant to this section.
   (e) Prior to August 1, 2011, the California Building Standards
Commission shall submit the seismic retrofit guidelines and standards
to the International Code Council for consideration and adoption
into model codes, as defined in Section 18916 of the Health and
Safety Code.
   (f) Prior to August 1, 2011, the Contractors' State License Board
shall adopt by regulation a training and testing program for a
specialty license classification for performing the seismic retrofit
of cripple walls.
   (g) The following definitions apply for purposes of this section:
   (1) "In consultation with" means the meaningful and open
solicitation of suggestions, ideas, and comments, and the response to
these suggestions, ideas, and comments, and the opportunity to
participate in meetings by the organizations named in this section.
Consultation shall include consideration of what constitutes seismic
deficiencies and the appropriate measures to correct the
deficiencies.
   (2) "Seismic retrofit for cripple walls of residential buildings
of wood frame construction" means retrofitting or reconstruction of
an existing building or structure to significantly reduce structural
collapse due to inadequate connections between the wood frame
building or structure and the foundation, inadequately braced cripple
walls, and lack of connections between these cripple walls and the
first floor of the building or structure.