State building-code work group flags proposals for economic review, plans wide small‑business survey

The Building Code Council work group for economic impact reviewed proposed changes across multiple model codes on Aug. 25, 2025, flagged a set of proposals for additional economic analysis and agreed to circulate a targeted questionnaire to industry and stakeholder lists ahead of a planned CR-102 rule filing.

The work group, chaired by Todd Byerthu (work group member), focused discussion on whether proposed changes would increase or decrease construction and operating costs and which items warranted a more detailed small‑business economic impact statement. "If there's a cost decrease, we should include it in the statements as well and not just sweep it off our plate," Dustin (work group staff) said while describing the spreadsheet the group used to mark probable impacts.

Why it matters: the work group’s findings will feed the CR-102 (preproposal rule) package the Building Code Council intends to file; several items the group flagged could change costs for event venues, small contractors, mobile food businesses and some existing building owners. The group also discussed practical outreach logistics for the small‑business survey, including distribution via the Building Industry Association of Washington and government notification systems.

Most proposals reviewed were characterized in their submission documents as having "no cost" or being clarifying edits. The work group nonetheless highlighted a subset that warrant outreach or additional analysis, including a change to…